Aquatic Therapy: A less painful rehabilitation option
November 17, 2008Patients who find traditional rehab too painful are finding that water is the ideal place for them to get the exercise they need. “Water provides a weightless environment that protects the body from pounding and jarring movements,” says Brad Jourdan, DPT, Manager of Valley West Rehabilitation Services. “It also diminishes the effects of gravity, allowing patients to move limbs easier.”
Immersed in chest-high water, patients bear only about 20% of their body weight on their legs. The buoyancy of the water supports the remaining 80%. The warmer temperatures of the water relax muscles and make the exercises easier and more effective. These benefits can promote a more rapid recovery following surgery or injury.
Aquatic therapy is ideal for patients with:
- Arthritis
- Cardiac Diseases
- Circulatory Problems
- Hip replacement
- Knee replacement
- Ankle/leg fractures
- Sports injuries
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Osteoporosis
- Respiratory Diseases
- Rotator cuff injuries
Aquatic Therapy is available through Valley West Rehabilitation Services at the Fox Valley Family YMCA in Plano. A physician’s order is required to schedule rehabilitation services. For more information about aquatic therapy, other rehabilitation services, or to schedule an appointment, please call 815.786.8550.
