Aquatic Therapy Flashcards
What are the precautions for AT?
Allergies and seizure disorders should be controlled.
What are the contraindications for AT?
Fear of Water Acute Cardiac Issues PVD with inc BP Incontinence Open Wounds Active infex Fever Tracheostomies Menstruation w/o internal protection Dermatitis
What properties of water lend themselves to AT and why?
Buoyancy - @ the waist you’re 50% WB, @ sternum @70%, @ C7 90%. (The deeper you are, the lighter you are).
Hydrostatic Pressure - is greater than diastolic BP so helps with edema bc the lymph system is a negative pressure system. This also challenges breathing (total lung capacity is decreased by 5-10%).
What consideration should we remember when approaching AT?
Rotational effects of bougier’s theorem
Decrease in LE proprioceptive input
Flaccid limbs float
COG and COB are not in the same plane (your trunk has to work even harder).
What types of aquatic equipment are there?
Supportive (motions across the surface)
Assistive resistive - *if you have a float on something… as you are doing knee flexion you are assisted, knee extension is resisted.
Weighted aquatic equipment - for spinal traction, stabilizing a flaccid limb
Flow motion
What is drag and what does it depend on? What effect does this have that impacts PT?
This is perceived as resistance, but it’s not weight.
It depends on velocity and surface area.
It has a resistive effect. Increasing speed causes this to rise, decreasing it causes it to lessen. It also provides some kind of resistance in all directions.
What does resistive aquatic equipment add?
Adds surface area to manipulate work.
In the pool, what is coming to the surface vs. bringing something back to the bottom?
coming up slowly is an eccentric, getting back down is a concentric.
What are some indications for AT?
Can’t walk/run without a limp.
Need AD.
Fall risk.
Pre-funx exam tool (you can jump in water!)
What are some of the benefits for LE in aquatics?
Less impact Early return to gait cycle Can easily manipulate exercise intensity and WB Safer env for balance Control of edema No need for weighted assistance
What are some advantages of aquatics for the UE?
Shoulder - perfect for devpt since the concentric portion is coming up, not down. No painful arc!
Ability to float the arm
Ease of scapulo-thoracic visualization… you can see the person.
Ease of manipulation of ROM
Safe initiation of resistive movements - less pain in initial stages of therapy
What are some benefits of aquatic training for the spine?
Diminished axial loading
Redux in gravity effect
Stabilization (you’re active just standing)
You can be more aggressive bc they are safe and you can also be more fxal
How might you change depth in a program progression for an ortho patient? How about neuro?
Deep to shallow for ortho. Shallow to deep for neuro.
