Our physios at Novita Health can be in the pool with you during your aquatic physiotherapy session.
What is aquatic physiotherapy?
Aquatic therapy involves our trained physiotherapists working with you in our hydrotherapy pool. The buoyancy of the water can help you bend, stretch, and move in ways that may be too hard or too risky to do on dry land.
Aquatic physiotherapy helps with aches, pains, and lack of mobility.
According to research cited by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, aquatic exercise can result in similar improvements in walking, balance, pain and quality of life as land-based exercise across many conditions. Given the common elements of movement, this is not surprising. However, what makes aquatic physiotherapy attractive to many people is the nature of buoyancy.
Unlike land-based exercises, entering the hydrotherapy pool and standing in water means your body is supported by the water, which takes about half of the usual load off your back and legs. When you work in the deeper part of the pool, the water takes up even more of your body weight – almost 70%.
This means less pressure on your joints, which lets you do more movement, and the resistance from the water means you can easily regain balance if you start to move off balance. Reducing the weight load on your joints means you’ll be able to do more work than usual.
Pool-based physio sessions allow you to work on a bigger range of movement activities and get you using multiple muscles at once.
Is aquatic physiotherapy right for you?
If you need treatment for arthritic pain, core strength, balance or posture, aquatic physiotherapy has advantages over standard physio treatment.
When you first meet your physiotherapist at Novita Health, they will talk about the main problems you’re dealing with and, if aquatic exercise seems like the right course of action, an aquatic program can be designed especially for you.
There are many different types of exercises your physio can suggest when crafting your plan, including:
- strengthening exercises
- walking practise
- fitness exercises
- flexibility exercises
- relaxation activities
- balance exercises
Your physio will help you to feel safe and secure if you’re not usually comfortable in water.
What makes Novita Health’s hydrotherapy pool different?
Physiotherapy in a hydrotherapy pool can be beneficial for people of all ages for conditions ranging from musculoskeletal to cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) problems.
There is a great deal of evidence behind the value of physiotherapy in a hydrotherapy pool, along with the benefit of having fun during your session.
If you’re interested in dipping your toes into the water of aquatic physiotherapy, we’d love to talk to you at Novita Health.
