Aquatic Therapy Services

Beginning in early 2000, PRORehab®, p.c. added a new item to its "menu" of rehabilitation services. Aquatic rehabilitation is now offered in conjunction with current rehabilitation programs at our Ellisville and North County offices. PRORehab sees aquatic therapy as a key component in the continuum of care for a variety of diagnoses as described below. The program will often allow earlier intervention of therapy while concurrently decreasing patient’s pain, thereby improving confidence and compliance.

Aquatic rehabilitation combines the beneficial effects of exercise and water to create an optimal environment for rehabilitation. The greatest benefits of pool therapy are primarily due to three physical properties of water: buoyancy, viscosity, and hydrostatic pressure. These physical properties make this medium superior to air for exercising, especially early in the rehabilitation process.

For example, the buoyancy of water suspends the body and reverses the effect of gravity. Buoyancy can allow the orthopedic patient effective partial weight bearing support that can be enhanced by the use of flotation devices. This may allow the patient to begin rehabilitation earlier and result in an earlier return to functional activities.

Another property of water is viscosity. Water is denser than air, which provides increased resistance to movement. Submerged body parts encounter resistance in all directions of movement. Using equipment or adding turbulence to the water can increase resistance, which can produce strength gains in weak muscles.

Water also produces hydrostatic pressure to submerged body parts. This means there is equal pressure from the water on the body that increases with the depth of the body part. This pressure opposes the tendency of blood to pool in the lower extremities and therefore reduces swelling.

Aquatic rehabilitation at PRORehab>®, p.c. is performed in a SwimEx pool, which features a patented paddlewheel propulsion system that can produce a water speed of 6.5 mph. This pool’s multiple water depths, distinct work stations, and deep water running platform provide an environment for upper and lower extremity exercises, running, walking, swimming, and plyometric work.

If you have any questions regarding aquatic therapy at PRORehab®, p.c., please contact us at info@prorehabpc.com or call (314) 972-1442.

Common diagnoses treated with Aquatic Rehabilitation:

• Adhesive capsulitis
• Gleno-humeral instability
• Rotator cuff tear and repair
• Bankart repair
• ACL,MCL,PCL reconstruction
• Patello-femoral pain
• S/P meniscectomy
• Acute muscle strains
• Stress fractures
• Total joint replacements
• Arthritis and rheumatic diseases
• Degenerative disc & joint disease
• Mechanical low back pain
• Industrial back injuries
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic pain
• Athletic injuries

Benefits of Aquatic Therapy:

• Unload the spine and peripheral joints
• Improve ROM
• Spinal stabilization
• Postural re-education
• Strengthening
• Functional training
• Decrease edema and pain
• Cardio-vascular conditioning
• Gait training
• Proprioception and balance training
• Concurrent treatment of multiple injuries
• Decrease muscle spasms
• Improve tolerance to land-based exercise
• Improve patient confidence