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News and events
Aquatic therapy partnership makes a splash this summer
June 27, 2017
For
many Madison County residents, summer is a time to enjoy a break from school,
take a vacation, and most importantly, relax. However, for therapy patients at Madison
Health, continuous sessions are vital to recovery and improving their quality
of life.
In
an effort to integrate the season’s warm weather with quality therapy care, the
Rehabilitation Services team at Madison Health has once again partnered with
the City of London to offer aquatic therapy sessions at the London Municipal
Pool.
“The
City of London is proud to partner with Madison Health for aquatic therapy,”
said Tammy Braskett, Director of Parks and Recreation. “Like the hospital, the
London Municipal Pool has been an important part of our city for many years.
Using the racing and training pools for therapy is an example of maximizing our
resources for the benefit of our community. We look forward to continuing this
partnership for years to come.”
Aquatic
therapy is activity that is performed in the water to assist with
rehabilitation from injury, joint replacement, muscle weakness or
deconditioning. It is performed with instruction from a physical, occupational
or speech therapist who is trained to understand how the physical properties of
water will affect rehabilitation.
Four-year-old
Trinity Fee of London has received therapy services at Madison Health since she
was six months old. Trinity was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy and
epilepsy, and continues see therapists on a weekly basis.
According
to Trinity’s mother, Kourtney Baldwin, aquatic therapy sessions are her
favorite.
“Trinity
really enjoys aquatic therapy,” said Kourtney. “It has helped with her muscle
tone and overall, it provides her with a sense of relaxation. She isn’t
fighting gravity because she feels weightless.”
“The
buoyancy of the water helps patients like Trinity reduce stress on the body by
reducing the amount of weight placed on the joint,” she said. “This makes
exercises more tolerable and less painful. The hydrostatic pressure of the
water aids in reducing joint and soft tissue swelling and provides resistance
to promote muscle strengthening and cardiovascular endurance.”
Aquatic
therapy also helps to relieve joint muscle pain and spasms, improves
circulation and encourages an increase in physical activity for patients of all
ages.
For
pediatric patients like Trinity, the pool atmosphere is a non-traditional
environment for them to perform activities that promote progress towards their
land therapy goals. Vital therapies including physical, occupational and speech
can incorporate aquatic therapy into their plan of care.
Other
benefits for pediatric patients include improvement of gross motor skills,
endurance and respiratory function. The aquatic setting also provides sensory
input in a natural recreational environment.
Aquatic
therapy sessions at the London Municipal Pool take place in the racing and
training pools, both of which are handicap accessible. Patients who have a gastrostomy tube
or jejunostomy feeding tube can participate in therapy. Children who
are not toilet trained must wear swim diapers in the pool.
Sessions
occur on Wednesday afternoons by appointment, weather permitting, through
August 16. A physician’s referral is required. |
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