Aquatic PT Flashcards
What are the main controlling variables of buoyancy available in aquatic PT?
- Position or direction of movement in the water
- Water depth
- Lever arm length
- Flotation or weighted equipment use
What 2 movements are buoyancy assisted, and which is resisted?
Assisted: - Movement towards surface - Movements parallel to bottom of pool Resisted: - Movements towards bottom of pool
How does shallow water affect resistance/ support?
Less support.
How does deeper water affect resistance/ support?
- More support
- Increased frontal resistance
What 4 factors alter resistance?
- Velocity of movement
- Surface area
- Water depth
- Direction of movement
Does peripheral blood flow increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Decrease
Does vital capacity increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Decrease
Does heart volume increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Increase
Does intrapulmonary blood volume increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Increase
Does right atrial pressure increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Increase
Does left ventricular end-diastolic volume increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Increase
Does stroke volume increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Increase
Does cardiac output increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Increase
Does heart rate increase or decrease with an increased immersion depth?
Decreases or is unchanged
What is the major change physiologically between land and water therapy?
- Increased cardiac loading due to hydrostatic pressure
What factors must be considered when examining a patient for aquatic therapy?
- Full land-based examination
- Basic safety (ability to enter water, comfort, etc)
- Precautions (cardiac history, etc)
- Contraindications
What is the most common therapeutic use of buoyancy?
Facilitate ROM
What needs to be stable for UE movements?
Leg and trunk stabilizers
What type of training is water an ideal environment for? Why?
Ideal for balance training due to slowing of loss of balance, allowing for an increased reaction time.
Describe an aquatic balance activity for single leg stance phase of gait.
- Stand in single leg stance in chest deep water
- Hold position with trunk, hips, knees, and ankles in alignment
- Attempt to hold as long as possible until form is lost or pain begins
- Bring arms in towards chest to make more difficult
How can water level be used to make aquatic therapy more difficult?
- Decrease water level as patient progresses
What types of functional activities can be done in water?
- Lifting
- Carrying
- Reaching
- Walking
- Pushing
- Etc
What are 8 contraindications to aquatic PT?
- Uncontrolled seizures
- Unstable angina
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Bowel incontinence with diarrhea, no stool program
- Open wounds or bleeding without dressing (including menstruation without internal protection)
- Tracheotomies until healed
- Acute flare-up active joint inflammation (RA. hemophilia)
- Orders for NPO(nothing by mouth)
- DVT without anticoagulation therapy or filter
What are some precautions for aquatic therapy?
- Bowel incontinence with firm stools
- Communicable disease
- Autonomic dysreflexia
- Sensitivity to disinfection chemicals
- Sensitivity to heat/ humidity
- Rashes, skin conditions with flaking or open areas
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Hydrophobia
- Combative or uncooperative patient
- Poor cognition
- Dependence in ambulation
- Controlled seizures, exercise induced angina, controlled diabetes
- Open wounds with dressing
- Immune suppression
- Chemotherapy
- Dialysis
