| Fort
Worth Business Press
2/20/04, p. 30
Don¹t throw water on benefits of aquatic rehabilitation
Dan Van Ackeren
Guest Columnist
Aquatic exercise is
arguably the best form of exercise. The irony is that the rehabilitation
field appears to be behind the times in utilizing
aquatics and has not capitalized on its benefits. There are so many things
that can be done in the water that cannot be done on land. For instance,
a patient who is post-operative from a joint surgery will not be able
to do land-based exercises for at least six weeks; the typical rehabilitation
is bed rest and a continuous passive motion machine with some form of
electrical stimulation. Because the patient must wait for the rehabilitation
program, muscles continue to atrophy or de-condition, scar tissue builds
up and the vascularization process is stagnant. However if the patient
entered an aquatic rehabilitation program, the strengthening and mobilization
processes could begin immediately, because of decreased gravity and joint
stress. The buoyancy of water allows patients to move freely in an environment
free of impact as they strengthen injured muscles and joints. Patients
can gradually build up strength and resistance as healing progresses.
The pool makes
the difference
There is a difference between a static pool and a therapeutic rehabilitation
pool. The quantifiable progress that can be noted as you increase the
laminar flow with a therapeutic rehabilitation pool is perhaps the greatest
difference. Static pools do not offer the laminar resistance provided
by a therapeutic rehabilitation pool. Professionally designed therapeutic
rehabilitation pools contain multiple laminar flow settings for an individual¹s
abilities, an underwater treadmill and an underwater bike for patients
to aid in the healing progresses. There is no question that aquatic rehabilitation
will gain tremendous support during the next decade as our aging population
has more surgical and degenerative conditions. The northeast United States
seems to be catching on much quicker as many state-of-the-art aquatic
facilities are being built there.
Who can benefit?
Post surgical patients in the pool: These patients range from the elderly
to the weekend warrior. Professional athletes frequently use aquatic rehabilitation
because it is the fastest and most efficient way to achieve positive outcomes.
Arthritic patients in the pool: Aerobic exercise is an important treatment
for patients with rheumatic and osteoarthritic disorders because they
tend to be physically de-conditioned. This de-conditioned state promotes
a continued cycle of pain, fatigue, and decreased motivation, leading
to inactivity, which further exacerbates the cycle. Ironically, the ensuing
immobility and lack of dynamic joint loading further damage joint surfaces,
leading to a downward spiral of immobility and degeneration. The therapeutic
pool offers a reduced weight-bearing environment where patients can still
achieve cardiopulmonary rewards associated with aerobic conditioning.
Pre-partum and post-partum treatment in the pool: Aquatic rehabilitation
is a phenomenal therapy for women who are pregnant and women who are recuperating
from birth. The number of women with back pain and muscle imbalances after
such a significant event is staggering. More and more women are beginning
to use therapeutic aquatics; however it is still significantly under-utilized
within the female patient population. Aquatic therapy for children: Babies
seem the perfect candidates for aquatic intervention. As a child grows,
the mass of the body grows, gravity converts mass into ³weight,²
which makes things like walking, running and jumping difficult. Gravity
rules the earth, and infants with neuromuscular and orthopedic dysfunction
often find this cruelly apparent. Water offers these children a reprieve.
Warm water offers a soothing reprieve.
Dan Van Ackeren is
co-owner of Aquatic Rehabilitation of Texas and may be reached at (817)
291-8090.
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