Hydrotherapy is a form of physiotherapy treatment carried out in a warm swimming pool, heated between 32-35 degrees Celsius.
Exercising in warm water can help muscles relax and reduce pain, as well as improve joint range of movement, strengthen muscles and improve exercise tolerance. The buoyancy effect allows earlier supported weightbearing and gait re-education. People who benefit from hydrotherapy include those with chronic conditions (such as rheumatology conditions, fibromyalgia), those recovering from orthopaedic operations, those who have suffered poly-trauma, those with chronic neurological conditions and those with weightbearing restrictions.
“A physiotherapy programme utilising the properties of water, designed by a suitably qualified physiotherapist. The programme should be specific for an individual to maximise function, which can be physical, physiological, or psychological. Treatments should be carried out by appropriately trained personnel, ideally in a purpose built, and suitably heated Aquatic Physiotherapy Pool” (ATACP 2014)
Prior to a course of hydrotherapy, you will have a land-based assessment by a physiotherapist, and they will ensure that you are suitable for hydrotherapy.
Further information:
https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/therapies/hydrotherapy/
AquaGym
We offer self-funded supervised hydrotherapy sessions to those patients who wish to continue self-guided exercises in our pool once their NHS course of hydrotherapy has finished.
For those patients wishing to continue their exercises elsewhere, please find below details of pools and services in the local area with contact details and pool temperatures for each.