Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy for Animals

Hydrotherapy can assist with pain management in many ways and can dramatically improve mobility. Hydrotherapy can address most aspects of physical rehabilitation in one package, often reducing the need for using many different methods separately. Treatment can also give rise to the release of endorphins, which reduce pain and increase pleasure.

The physical properties of water can be utilised to support a patient in doing activities they could not manage on land to improve joint health and function. Buoyancy reduces the load on painful joints when standing or walking in a pool or underwater treadmill and varying the height of the water provides more or less buoyancy as desired.

Resistance of water allows several muscle groups to be worked at the same time in a smooth and less injurious way. This can give improved cardiovascular fitness and core strength and balance.

Hydrostatic pressure can aid lymph drainage and reduce swelling and turbulence is used to improve balance and strength in later stages of rehabilitation.

Heat increases metabolic activity, improving circulation and providing pain relief. It also increases extensibility of connective tissue, especially in joints, allowing them to have a better range of motion when working in the warm water as the soft tissues have increased elasticity.

The inclusion of therapeutic handling and manual therapy techniques can further improve function and aid healing, which contributes greatly to pain relief. Targeted use of shower facilities prior to and post treatment also give added benefits.

Proprioceptively enriched environment allows re-patterning of movement and gait in water and shower and environment. Neuromuscular techniques can further enhance improvement of function and reduce the risk of injury.