Hydrotherapy

I  Hydrotherapy (exercise in warm water) has an important role in improving quality of life and prolonging independence in elderly people who can participate in it, especially those who find exercise on land difficult.  For those aged 65 and above there are health issues which could be improved, especially prevention of falls and hospitalization, improvement of walking ability, prolongation of independence in daily tasks and quality of life.  Many studies and some literature reviews have already been published and they report positive and statistically significant improvements after the use of hydrotherapy in the elderly.  

 The warmth of the water allows your muscles to relax and eases the pain in your joints, helping you to exercise. The water supports your weight, which helps to relieve pain and increase the range of movement in your joints. The water can be used to provide resistance to moving your joints. 

 Exercise and physical activity are as important for the physical health and well-being of children with autism as for those without. The lack of exercise may be one reason why children with autism have a greater risk of becoming overweight than the general population. Aquatic exercise can help to keep kids physically fit and improve their motor functions and endurance.

The hydrostatic pressure in water has been shown to help children with sensory processing disorders or vestibular issues by providing a gentle, soothing physical environment. 

 Cerebral Palsy can cause symptoms such as stiffness or floppiness, weak arms or legs, jerky/clumsy movements, fidgeting, and uncontrolled random movement.

For children with CP who use wheelchairs, sitting all day in their chairs can be restricting. So, the freedom of movement in the pool is welcoming. Having this time for free play and movement can also improve concentration and behaviour in the classroom.

Using a hydrotherapy pool can have a positive impact on these symptoms and improve everyday functional skills for a child with CP. 

 WATSU is the principle form of Aquatic Therapy for rehabilitation. It promotes relaxation, calming the sympathetic and enhancing the parasympathetic nervous systems.

Watsu is performed in one-on-one pool sessions.
During a session, we gently move and stretch, and massage a client. A typical session consists of a progression of breath coordination and movement patterns in different positions. Movement patterns including gentle rocking, more dynamic stretching and mobilisation, techniques focused on the needs or condition of the client.

It has enormous beneficial effects for trauma, both physical and psycho-emotional, with therapeutic application for neuromuscular injuries, stress, chronic pain, discomfort during pregnancy, and special needs.

Accreditation: Advanced International Aquatic Therapy Techniques. - Peggy Schoedinger 

 Hydrotherapy is generally safe for most women during pregnancy, but the temperature of the water shouldn't be extremely hot. The water creates buoyancy, which helps support a woman's body, and the sense of weightlessness takes the pressure off the pelvic floor and other joints. 

Exercising in water helps reduce the pressure and stress on your body and joints as well as increases blood flow bringing many benefits during pregnancy. The 3 major benefits of exercising in water is: 

1. Prevent leg cramps and varicose veins
2. Strengthen your pelvic floor
3. Prepare your body for delivery

 The Bad Ragaz Method is a type of aquatic therapy used for physical rehabilitation.

This method involves an aquatic therapist working one-on-one to guide a patient through specific patterns of movement and resistance, with the effect of muscular elongation and relaxation and associated pain modulation, and with the goal of improving proprioception and neuromuscular functioning. The method uses various properties of water for therapy, in particular turbulence and resistance, to restore anatomical, biomechanical, and physiological movements of joints and muscles in functional patterns.