Aquatic Physical Therapy

Elite Physical Therapy has access to a heated indoor pool in our Ellicott City location. Our on-sight pool allows our clients to practice and master skills in the water in preparation for functional activities on land. Examples include stair climbing, sport specific exercises, transfers, range of motion, gait training and stabilization exercises.

Aquatic physical therapy is ideal for patients with weight bearing restrictions, lower extremity injuries, joint replacements, balance disorders, low exercise tolerance and joint pain.

All therapists at Elite Physical Therapy are experienced with both land and water treatments and can integrate both environments to achieve functional goals. Aquatic physical therapy is a part of an integrated approach to functional rehabilitation. Patients are taken through a series of shallow and deep water exercises that are designed to improve neuromuscular control, strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, weight bearing tolerance, aerobic endurance, and range of motion too difficult on land.

Benefits

• Exercise in the water creates the opportunity creates the opportunity for clients to begin treatment earlier in their recovery.
• Water increases relaxation and pain threshold making it ideal for those with chronic pain and rheumatoid conditions.
• Aquatic physical therapy reduces stress on muscles, tendons and ligaments.
• Graded increased joint loading can be achieved by varying the depth of water.
  Gait training can often take place unaided for those who have partial weight bearing restrictions.
• Deep water provides a traction effect that can benefit lower back patients.
• Hydrostatic pressure provides tactile input for body awareness, ideal for those who have neurological or sensory impairments.
• Sport specific exercises can be practiced in the early stages, facilitating neuromuscular re-education.
• Water challenges the sensory, vestibular and visual senses.
• Exercise in the water utilizes the principles of buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure to create a workout for those who need non-impact yet challenging rehab program.