Scientific Foundations and Clinical Rehabilitation Applications

 Introduction :-

Aquatic therapy can be defined as the use of water and specifically designed activities by qualified personnel to aid in the restoration, extension, maintenance and functional ability in person with acute, transient or chronic disabilities syndromes or diseases. Water immersion has profound physiological effects that extent across of the essential homeostatic systems. These effects allow water to be used with therapeutic efficacy for a wide variety of movement disorders including musculoskeletal problems that may be associated with osteoarthritis.

Aquatic therapy exercises are effective and helpful in reducing pain and improving physical function in patients with hip and/or knee OA.

According to therapeutic safety and Clinical adaptability, Aquatic therapy is a very useful tool in the rehabilitation toolbox. Since the earliest recorded history, water has always been believed to promote healing and has therefore been widely used in the management of medical ailments. Aquatic immersion effects are both immediate and delayed and allow water to be used with therapeutic efficacy for a great variety of rehabilitative problems.

The physical properties of water are primarily responsible for the physiological effects that occur during the aquatic immersion. The physical properties include density, Hydro static pressure, buoyancy, viscosity and thermodynamics.