If you have come across the word “aquatic” before, you can then guess that this form of therapy has the involvement of water somewhere. This medical therapy makes use of water to achieve certain therapeutic results. It is ideal both for children and grownups and one of the best things about it is that it is fun. It is one of the forms of therapy where the patients usually adapt to easily, as it is comparable to the action of swimming. It is however important for you to understand that it is not swimming as you will need an expert in aquatic therapy present to guide you in order for results to be realized.
The therapeutic results are achieved by making use of various water properties such as temperature, hydrostatic pressure, resistance and buoyancy. What are some of the things that make this form of therapy unique?
Submersion reduces your weight
If you have ever gone for a swim, you will agree that your body feels lighter when submerged in water. Water has the ability or effect of decreasing one’s weight when submerged. For this reason, patients that undergo this form of therapy find it a bit easier to bear their own weight, something that they may be unable to do while on land. Decreased weight means that they are able to make small movements while in water and this is how healing takes place. The buoyancy aspect of water also helps by offering support to weak muscles hence helping the patient increase their flexibility.
Hydrostatic pressure helps the patient work less
One of the things that make patients resist therapies is that they feel they have to do a lot of work. When it comes to aquatic therapy, the level or work to be done is reduced by a very large percentage because of hydrostatic pressure. This is the pressure exerted by the water molecules on the submerged person. It therefore means that as a patient, you can just get into the pool and the water will carry out the therapy without your having to do anything. This is how this form of therapy helps in muscle toning.
Since the hydrostatic pressure is not painful, patients with extreme pain benefit a lot when their treatments are started in the water. It is important to mention herein that this hydrostatic pressure works equally on the entire body so there is no form of unease on the patient.
It can be done by several people at the same time
There is no rule that says that there can only be one person in the pool at a time. For this reason, experts in aquatic therapy have capitalized on this in order to give the patients motivation and encouragement. The patients get to know each other and bond during the sessions and this opens a very big room for encouraging one another. Since almost all forms of therapy involve some form of communication, the therapist’s work becomes easier.
These things make aquatic therapy unique. It is important that you make sure that your therapist is well trained in his trade in order to increase your chances of success in aquatic therapy.
