Aquatic Therapy

Unweighting (also called unloading, partial weight bearing, progressive loading, and assisted exercise): is a method of intervention where the body and/or joint is allowed to perform weight bearing exercises (closed kinetic chain exercises) in a controlled manner with reduced vertical forces through the joint.

The benefits of this system allow the joints to maintain a certain amount of loading desirable for healing under normal body movements such as walking. The result is improved tolerances to standing, working, or functioning by decreasing the pressures through painful joints such as those in arthritis and disc disorders.

This is similar to the theory of aquatic or water therapy but with many benefits. Unlike aquatic therapy, unweighting can readily change the load on your body (and accurately measure the quantity of unloading) so that you can progressively move towards full weight bearing.

Unweighting has been strongly supported in literature (Phys Ther 77 (4), 1997; Phys Ther 76 (4), 1996; JOBST 19 (4) 1994; JOBST 29 (5) 1999; J Man Manip Ther 7 (4) 1999).

If your doctor requests Aquatic Therapy or you feel that you need the warm water effect or additional unweighting we also offer Aquatic or Pool Therapy. Our pool ranges from 4-5.5 feet and has resistance jets built right in. We offer adjacent locker rooms, lift chair, and a hot tub. The pool temperature is approximately 88 degrees. The pool is treated with Bromine (less irritant than traditional Chlorine and less corrosive than saltwater). In addition to the bromine and sand filtration system we also continuously treat the pool with UV light. UV light is effective at lowering chemical useage and meanwhile destroying bacteria, protozoa, viruses, molds, and other microbes including waterborn diseases associated with some commercial pools. We still recommend that you bathe before entering the pool to reduce natural oils, soaps, and residue from mixing with the chemicals and more importantly for your own well being bathe after to reduce your exposure to bromine thereby minimizing the itch or dy skin that occurs with some individuals sensitive to this.