Aquatherapy is the use of distinct characteristics of water for health purposes, assisting in rehabilitation and recovery process. Beneficial characteristics of water that facilitate movement include density, buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure and resistance. While underwater, the body weight is reduced drastically. Aquatherapy deploys water buoyancy and density to run movement training sessions with alleviated weight, allowing the patients to freely and easily move their extremities without additional forces applied to the joints. Aquatherapy greatly benefits patients with a wide range of diseases that limits body movement, such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a progressive nervous system disease causing loss of muscle control) and osteoarthritis as well as spine conditions.
Benefits of Aquatherapy
- Reducing physical force applied to the joints by using buoyancy in the water.
- Promoting flexibility and enhancing the muscle strength.
- Minimizing pain, relaxing the muscles and softening stiff joints by using warm water at optimal temperature.
- Massaging affected muscles and relieving muscle tension.
- Stimulating blood circulation throughout the body by using warm water at optimal temperature.
Aquatherapy pool sized 4×6 meter at Rehabilitation Center, Bangkok Hospital offers superior space for the patients to freely move with proper ventilation system, allowing for high degree of comfort and relaxation. To achieve effective treatment outcomes, water temperature is programmed at 35 ‘C. Water current technology, Jet Stream has been utilized in order to massage and relax the core muscles to enhance their functions. For the health and safety of our patients, hygiene and cleanliness of water are ensured by using a constant water circulating system. A variety of rehabilitation devices and underwater equipment are available, such as assistive devices for balance and aquatic exercise equipment. Depending on the height of each individual and designed program, water depth can be automatically adjusted through the hydraulic system and the deepest level is up to 1.8 m. Throughout the training session, patients will be closely supervised and monitored by rehabilitation doctor and physiotherapist adhering to international standards of aquatic therapy.
