Transcript Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy
B.Nelson
What is hydrotherapy ?
 The
treatment of physical disability ,injury
or illness by immersion , of all or part of the
body in water to facilitate movement
,promote wound healing, relieve pain
and maintain health
Physical properties of water
 Buoyancy
 Resistance
 Hydrostatic
pressure
 Specific heat and thermal conductivity
Specific heat & thermal
conductivity
 The
ability of water to transfer heat
rapidly and efficiently is one of the
advantages of performing exercises in a
swimming pool that is colder than the
patient’s temperature
Buoyancy
 Force
experienced as an upward thrust
on the body in the opposite direction to
the force of gravity
 Submersion
of the body decresaes stress
and compression on the weight bearing
joints ,muscles and connective tissue
Buoyancy cont’d
 Used
to assist the therapist in supporting
the weight of the patient’s body part
during therapeutic activities
 Used
to help raise a weakened part
against gravity
Resistance
 The
viscosity of water provides resistance
to the motion of a body in the water
 Resistance
occurs against the the
direction of movement
 Resistance
increases with the speed of
the body’s movement and the frontal
area of the body part.
Hydrostatic pressure
 Pressure
exerted by a fluid on the body
immersed in the fluid.
 According to Pascal’s Law a fluid exerts
equal pressure on all surfaces of a body
at rest at a given depth and the pressure
increases in proportion to the depth of the
fluid
Hydrostatic Pressure cont’d
 Immersion
in water can assist in promoting
circulation and alleviating peripheral
oedema
 Greatest
effect with the vertical position
Physiological effects
 Are
due to the physical properties of
water
 The effects are:
 Cleansing
 Musculoskeletal effects
 Cardiovascular effects
 Respiratory effects
 Psychological effects
Uses of hydrotherapy
 Superficial
heating or cooling
 Water exercise
 Pain control
 Oedema control
 Wound care
Water exercise- types
 Swimming
walking
 Running
 Cycle ergometry
 Underwater treadmill

Uses of water exercise
 Increase
circulation
 Increase muscle strength
 Joint flexibility and range of movement
 Improve ambulation and coordination
 Improve cardiovascular and respiratory
conditioning
Specific uses of water
exercise
 Orthopaedic
rehabilation
 Neurological
rehabilitation
 Cardiorespiratory
 Exercise
fitness
in water during pregnancy
Specific uses of water
exercise
 Exercise
induced asthma
 Age-related deficits
Uses of Hydrotherapy
cont’d
 Pain
control
 Oedema control
 Wound care
Contraindications of
hydrotherapy
 Pease
Read text book
Adverse effects of
hydrotherapy
 Drowning
 Infection
 Hyponatremia
 Aggravation
of edema
Recommended reading
 Physical
Agents in Rehabilitation by
Michelle Cameron