Aquatic Therapy - Overview and Evidence
PTA 101 Introduction to Clinical Practice 1

Introduction and Overview

Water has long been used as a therapeutic approach to tissue and body healing. In this lesson, we will focus on the aquatic environment and its use in physical therapy for movement-based rehabilitation. Whirlpool use and wound care approaches will be discussed in PTA 205.

Lesson Objectives


After completing this lesson, the student should be able to:

  1. Describe the physical principles properties of water 
    1. Describe the effect of buoyancy on weight-bearing joints
    2. Apply the effects of buoyancy device position to the center of buoyancy (COB)
    3. Describe the physiological and clinical impacts of hydrostatic pressure 
    4. Describe how specific gravity influences clinical decision-making 
    5. Describe the effect of various forces as an object moves through water
  2. Describe the therapeutic benefits and goals of aquatic exercise (temperature effects, clinical indications/outcomes, depth-based approaches) as a modality
  3. Describe diagnoses, conditions, and impairments indicating aquatic therapy
  4. Differentiate between the benefits of land and water activities
  5. Describe safety/precautions and contraindications to aquatic therapy
  6. Describe the role of the PTA in aquatic therapy

 

 

Aquatics Instructional Video - Approximately 17 minutes

Approximately 6 minutes

Introduction to Water PT Specialists

Approximately 7 minutes

Disclaimer - this video is promotional for a private practice. I include it to provide some video examples of how the clients use flotation devices, in supine and prone, to facilitate mobilization and strengthening

 

Knowledge Application Videos

Sample exercises are presented to help apply hydrotherapy content to exercise applications

 

Video demonstrates the affects of depth and speed on resistance during in a functional activity performed in the water

Approximately 2 minutes

 

Videos of sample exercises using a flotation device are included to provide some context for lecture and reading. They provides a visual overview of ROM, strengthening, balance, and assist in the water (apologies in advance for the brief pop-up ad):

Approximately 2 minutes

Evidence-based Practice for Aquatic Therapy

This is a great time to practice reviewing abstracts for levels of evidence associated with claims that aquatic therapy reduces impairments and improves function