hydrotherapy

1. HYDROTHERAPY –
EQUIPMENT, DEVICES
AND INSTALLATIONS
LIOR SHLOMOV 1852

2. • Hydrotherapy is a method of treating disease by using water at different temperatures and in different
ways
• Any activity performed in water to assist in rehabilitation and recovery from hard training or serious
injuries, and for pain relive.
• Goals:
• – Facilitate ROM exercises
• Initiate resistance exercises
• Facilitate weight exercises
• Facilitate cardiovascular exercises
• Enhance patient relaxation

3. PROPERTIES
• Buoyancy - Upward force that works opposite to gravity , Provides resistance to
movement when an extremity is moved against the force of buoyancy. This helps
to strengthen muscles.
• Hydrostatic Pressure - Pressure exerted by the water on immersed objects ,
Increased pressure reduces or limits effusion, assist venous return, induces
bradycardia etc.
• Viscosity - Friction occurring between molecules of liquid resulting in resistance
to flow , Water’s resistance creates resistance with all active movements

4. INDICATIONS
• Relaxation
• Assist wound healing
• Edema
• Muscular problems: muscle spasm, weakness etc
• Bony or skeletal problems: Arthritis, post fracture, stiffness etc
• Neurological problems: paralytic conditions
• Treatment of burn
• Menstrual irregularities

5. CONTRAST BATH
Treatment involves both hot and cold therapy on same body part.
• Causes sensory stimulation due to activation of both cutaneous hot and cold receptor.
• Helps to modulate pain, decrease local edema and increase circulation
– For pain relief, start and end with hot water.
– For edema, start and end with cold water.
• Indications:
– Post traumatic swelling, pain due to swelling, chronic inflammation.
• Contraindications
– Advanced vascular disease, arterial insufficiency, diabetes mellitus.

7. WHIRLPOOL BATH
• A tank that contains water with a turbine to produce movement of water through
agitation, making it easier to assist or resist the movement.
• Types:
– Extremity Tank
– Lowboy Tank
– Highboy Tank
• Uses:
• – Open wounds, pain relief, mobilize stiff joints of extremities.

9. HUBBARD TANK
• Specially designed full immersion tank and mainly for patients who are unable to
stand.
• Mainly designed for underwater exercises
– Has jets for hydrotherapy massage
– Support bars for doing exercise
• Wide top and bottom, narrow middle which allow room for exercises for the
extremities and PT assist the patients.
• Patients are usually lowered on a stretcher by an over head hydraulic hoist.
• Equipped with 2 turbines that can be moved around the perimeter.