HYDROTHERAPY IN SOME

SELECTED SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.

SOCHIMA JOHNMARK OBIEKWE

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES, NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA.
 HYDROTHERAPY
• Hydrotherapy, also known as aqua therapy, is the use of water for pain relief and treatment. 
• Hydrotherapy differs from a normal swimming pool because it involves special exercises in
a warm-water pool of a temperature between 33–36ºC.
• It is a proven form of rehabilitation. 
• It is a widely accepted form of therapy within the medical community.
• There is no specific age or point when someone can begin hydrotherapy, it can be beneficial
to anyone at any age.
 CEREBRAL PALSY (CP)
• Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a group of disorders that affect muscle movement and
coordination. In many cases, cerebral palsy also affects vision, hearing, and sensation.

• The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from person to person and range from mild to
severe.

• Some people with cerebral palsy may have difficulty walking and sitting.

• Other people with cerebral palsy can have trouble grasping objects.

• The effects of the condition can become more or less obvious or limiting as a child grows
and develops motor skills.
 CEREBRAL PALSY (CP)
• They also vary depending on the part of the brain that was affected. It is a group of
disorders that affect muscle movement and coordination. In many cases, cerebral
palsy also affects vision, hearing, and sensation
• Some of the more common symptoms include:

1. Delays in reaching motor skill milestones, such as rolling over, sitting up alone, or
crawling

2.difficulty walking

3. Variations in muscle tone, such as being too floppy or too stiff

 CEREBRAL PALSY (CP)

4. Spasticity, or stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes

5. Ataxia, or a lack of muscle coordination

6. Tremors or involuntary movements

7. Delays in speech development and difficulty speaking

8. Excessive drooling and problems with swallowing

 CEREBRAL PALSY (CP)

9. Favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with one hand

10. Neurological issues, such as seizures, intellectual disabilities, and blindness

11. Children with cerebral palsy are born with it, but some may not show signs of it until

months or years later. Symptoms usually appear within a few months of birth according to the

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
A CHILD WITH CEREBRAL PALSY
 HYDROTHERAPY IN TREATMENT OF
CEREBRAL PALSY.
• Specific exercises will be based on their age, physical condition and cognitive abilities.
• The warmness of the pool assists the body and muscles to relax, which in turn helps to heal injuries
and promote bodily function like blood circulation, respiration, and even pain relief.
• When one is immersed into water, their body weight is reduced by 90% and so this allows children
with cerebral palsy to move freely in a way that does not cause stress to the musculoskeletal system.
• The heat stimulatory receptors are suggested to be in the same place as nociceptive impulses.
• hen the muscles and nerves feel the heat of the hydrotherapy pool it numbs the sensation of pain,
making it easier for children with cerebral palsy to move and exercise with less restrictions. 
HYDROTHERAPEUTIC EXERCISES FOR A
CP CHILD
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN CP.
• The most effective hydrotherapy program for children with cerebral palsy consists of at
least 3 classes per week lasting 45 minutes for 10 weeks. 

1. Movements increase the range of motion and strength

2. Greater flexibility

3. Maintains health and fitness

4. Manages posture

5. Tool of independence
THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN CP.

6. Promotes core strength and balance

7. Alleviates stress and tension

8. Increases stability

9. Decreases pain and discomfort

10. Elevates metabolism

11. Improves cardiovascular conditioning since the heart pumps more blood per beat when the body is
submerged into water.
THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN CP.

12. According to the charity ‘Scope UK’, Hydrotherapy may help toddlers with their gross

motor skills, such as, using weight-bearing activities within the hydrotherapy pool to help

them improve their muscle tone and to make larger movements as their body is in water.

13. For children or young adults, hydrotherapy may provide strengthening exercises to

work on stamina. 
 HYDROTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF
SPINAL CORD INJURY

• The main secondary effects of spinal cord injury are changes in or loss of motor and
sensory functions.

• A common secondary effect of spinal cord injury on the muscles is spasticity, or

involuntary muscle contractions.

• Water holds several inherent benefits that help promote mobility after spinal cord injury.
HYDROTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF
SPINAL CORD INJURY
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
1. Reduce Pressure on the Joints:
• With buoyancy, the patient will feel a lesser weight than when not in water.
• With less weight to bear, it becomes easier for spinal cord injury survivors to focus on
movement, balance, and proper gait (walking) patterns.
• Furthermore, a fear of falling is much less prominent during aquatic therapy, since the
patients are unlikely to get injured if they lose their balance.
• Spinal cord injury patients can increase the difficulty level of their exercises by moving
into shallower water.
• Over time, and with consistent practice, this will help accustom the joints to bearing more
weight.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
2. Strengthen Muscles:

• Water can also help promote recovery after spinal cord injury through drag force and viscosity.

• Drag force is the resistance of a fluid against an object in motion, whereas viscosity refers to the
resistance of a fluid at a given rate.

• Viscosity is what adds resistance and makes it challenging to move at a fast.

• It is beneficial during spinal cord injury recovery because it helps strengthen the muscles.

• It can also help improve joint flexibility and reduce stiffness in the knees and other joints.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
• Lack of movement due to a spinal cord injury can often cause muscle
atrophy, especially for individuals who use a wheelchair.

• Therefore, the benefits of drag force and viscosity are essential

because they promote increased endurance, reduced the hyperactivity
of spastic muscles, and movement through one’s full range of motion.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
3. Relieve Pain and Swelling

• Hydrostatic pressure is the force exerted by the water in every direction onto your body.

• It is directly influenced by the density of water and depth of submersion, meaning the
farther you are submerged in water, the greater the hydrostatic pressure.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES

• In addition to muscle atrophy, lack of mobility in the affected limbs

can also cause swelling in some cases. This occurs due to excessive
fluid buildup, often in the legs and feet.

• Fortunately, hydrostatic pressure is an excellent property of water that

can help reduce swelling and promote recovery.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
• Hydrostatic pressure can help improve range of motion in the joints and reduce spasticity.
• It provides constant compression that, when paired with heat from a warmed pool, can
stimulate the nerve endings to block pain signals.
• Compression and heat also help increase blood circulation throughout the body.
• This enables a more efficient delivery of oxygen and other essential nutrients necessary
to relax tight muscles and promote proper muscular function and healing.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
• 4. Promote Body Awareness

• Drag force can create a slow-moving environment that promotes proprioception,

or body awareness in relation to space. This allows more time for survivors to
react and think about every movement being made. Also added resistance in water
helps create a safe, rehabilitative environment (under the right guidance and
supervision) because it minimizes the impact of a fall. This can help reduce the
fear of falling and encourage SCI survivors to actively participate in pool
exercises.
 THE BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
5. Boost Confidence

• Spinal cord injury rehabilitation can be both physically and mentally challenging.

• It’s important to keep yourself motivated to practice high repetition of exercises to

stimulate neuroplasticity, the central nervous system’s ability to rewire itself. Aquatic
therapy is perfect for this.

• Neuroplasticity strengthens existing neural connections and creates new ones, which are
essential for restoring function after spinal cord injury.

• Aquatic therapy can help boost your confidence to help you stay focused, stimulate
neuroplasticity, and promote recovery.
 HYDROTHERAPY IN MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN

• Pain is considered to be chronic if it has been present for greater than three
months.

• Chronic pain may originate from an injury, disease or stresses on different

structures of the body.

• The type of pain may vary greatly and may be felt as bone pain, nerve pain or
muscle pain.
 BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY FOR
CHRONIC PAIN
• The principal benefits are:

• Heat -

• Has the effect of relieving pain through stimulation of thermo-receptor nerves

throughout the body.

• It increases soft tissue extensibility and the movement of fluid within the body's joints.

• Relaxes muscle tissue and has a calming effect on the mind. 

 BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY FOR
CHRONIC PAIN
• Buoyancy -

• As you become more immersed the body's natural buoyancy in water causes you to float.

• This reduces the direct pressure on the joints reducing any associated pain and allowing
freer movement.

• This effect can be adjusted simply by moving to different depths of water. 

 BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY FOR
CHRONIC PAIN
• Water Resistance -

• This provides a gentle resistance that is variable depending your speed of movement.

• It is good for increasing muscle tone and building strength in deconditioned or injured muscle.

• The constant resistance of the surrounding water acts as a stabilizer during movement, together
with buoyancy this increases confidence in your ability to move without risk of injury or pain.