Why Hydro?

Hydrotherapy, or Aquatic Physiotherapy, involves exercise and hands-on treatment in water heated to 34ºC. With session durations of up to one hour (depending on what you can cope with), there is plenty of time to treat the whole person and not just focus on one problem area.

Hydrotherapy is an extremely versatile form of treatment for all ages - it is possible to carry out very gentle or quite strenuous exercise, and it can begin early in your recovery or well down the track. While most people can safely exercise in warm water, certain medical conditions require special care to be taken, so the physiotherapists at Hydrotherapy Solutions take detailed medical histories and liaise with your doctor when appropriate.

You do not need to be able to swim to participate, and even people who think they don’t like being in the water quickly change their minds as they reap the benefits of warm water hydrotherapy.

Hydrotherapy Treatment

Conditions Treated

Hydrotherapy Treatment - ARTHRITIS

Arthritis

Arthritic joints suffer from the effects of gravity, causing body weight to compress joints such as hips, knees, ankles and feet.  Exercise on land can thus aggravate pain and inflammation.  Exercising in water allows the joints to be exercised with minimal compression through them, allowing strengthening, mobilising and fitness work with little or no pain.  The warmth of the water further helps with pain relief and flexibility.

Back or Neck Pain

Spinal pain causes much suffering, with 80% of the population bound to experience it at some point in their lives.  Whether the pain is acute or chronic (lasting for more than 3 months), hydrotherapy can help.  Important core control exercises can be effectively performed in the pool, with the support and warmth of the water allowing progression from very gentle to more vigorous exercises.  Floating in the water in various positions can also allow traction through the spine and mobilising of tight structures.

Hydrotherapy Treatment - BACK OR NECK PAIN
Hydrotherapy Treatment - PRE & POST SURGERY

Pre- & Post-Surgery

Joint replacements, in particular, benefit from “pre-hab”, where the muscles around the affected joint are strengthened and stretched to allow surgery to achieve the best results.  Improved general fitness is also helpful when surgery is planned.

Post-surgical treatment can help to restore operated joints to optimal levels, be they rotator cuff repairs, hip replacements, or knee reconstructions.  As well as the affected body part, our physios look at mobility, gait, general fitness and balance, as well as any other areas of the body that may be impacting overall recovery.

We also see many patients after spinal surgery, where the emphasis is on core control and return to function, as well as pain relief.  General deconditioning from any form of surgery can be helped by starting out a gentle hydrotherapy program, allowing confidence to be built up in a supportive environment.

Fractures & Trauma

It is common after lower limb injuries to have to remain non-weight bearing for a period of time.  Most orthopaedic specialists will allow walking in deep water during this period, which is a great way to maintain fitness, begin to move the affected body part in a gentle and supported way, and regain confidence.

Upper limb injuries also benefit from the weightless environment in the pool - it is much easier to lift an arm helped by buoyancy than weighed down by gravity.  Various floats and resistive devices are brought into play as strength returns.

TAC clients are welcome, with no out-of-pocket expenses incurred.

Hydrotherapy Treatment - FRACTURES & TRAUMA

Sports Injury

Achilles tendon strain, rotator cuff tear, hamstring tears - these are just a few of the conditions we see responding to hydrotherapy.  High level activities such as water running, hopping, swimming are all possible as your program progresses from the gentle beginnings needed after acute injury.

Hydrotherapy Treatment - SPORTS-INJURY
Hydrotherapy Treatment - CANCER

Cancer

There is increasing evidence that continuing to exercise during cancer treatment helps reduce unpleasant side-effects, allows better uptake of drugs and improves longevity.  Exercising in warm water under expert guidance is a great way to achieve these benefits, with the added confidence of a dedicated hydrotherapy pool with strictly controlled water chemistry.

Mobility & Balance

While not the same as walking in everyday life, working on balance and gait in the pool provides real world benefits through practice in a safe environment.  As part of an overall program of strengthening, mobilising and fitness exercise, walking and balance can show marked improvement.

Hydrotherapy Treatment - MOBILITY & BALANCE

Want to give hydrotherapy a try?

Our friendly staff are ready to answer any questions you might have.

Feel free to drop us a line.