Hydrotherapy Case Study One

A 78 yr old female was referred for hydrotherapy 3 weeks after having had a replacement of her right knee due to severe pain with normal daily tasks. Since her surgery she has good and bad days. On good days she is able to walk around in her garden but on bad days she is restricted by a burning pain and knee stiffness both associated with swelling of the joint.

On assessment the knee was very swollen due to pain and stiffness She lacked 10 degrees of knee straightening but had good bend up to 70 degrees. When walking she had very poor balance, tending to sway from side to side.

She started treatment with her land physiotherapist who concentrated on soft tissue work to reduce her swelling, quadriceps exercises to strengthen around the joint, sustained stretches and a followed by a referral to hydrotherapy.

Upon starting Hydrotherapy, within 4 sessions her knee swelling was under control, she had better straightening only lacking a few degrees from being completely straight and she was able to walk in the pool unaided, which she would not have been able to do on land at that stage. Along with stretches, strength work, walking technique practice and balance her treatment consisted of functional tasks, for example, sit to stand, single leg standing etc. The stiffness of her knee was resolved along with her burning pain.

At her 6 week review with the consultant he was very happy and she is now walking unaided without a stick with a normal gait and her balance feels great.

Hydrotherapy Case Study Two

A 62 yr old gentleman was referred for Hydrotherapy after having had a right shoulder replacement.

This gentleman over 30 years previously had a nasty accident playing football which resulted in recurrent shoulder dislocations, which was operated on a few years later. 5 years ago pain started again in the shoulder which ended in further shoulder surgery 3 years ago. This gentleman still had residual pain and therefore the only option was a shoulder replacement, even though he was relatively young for this type of surgery.

On assessment before his surgery he had very limited movements of his shoulder in all directions and weakness in the muscles surrounding his shoulder due to long term pain and restricted movement.

After his surgery he was in quite considerable pain as expected from major surgery. One week after his surgery his shoulder movements were about 10% better than before surgery. This gentleman had a few sessions with the physiotherapist and gradually the pain was improving. However, to lift his arm against gravity involved over activity of all the muscles around his neck.

This overuse of the neck muscles arose because moving his shoulder against gravity was too difficult but without gravity on land was too easy. This lead to neck pain and sleep disturbances which needed to be addressed. He was therefore referred to Hydrotherapy where his range of movement could be progressed in a buoyancy assisted manner.

After 5 sessions of hydrotherapy he now has minimal neck pain and his shoulder movements are 75% of normal which is very good 6 weeks after a shoulder replacement 50% better movement than before his surgery. He also is now sleeping properly at night which is making him feel much better.

This gentleman is planning to continue supplementing his land exercises with hydrotherapy session and should continue to improve and regain muscle strength that he has lost over previous years.

Testimonials

"I have been attending hydrotherapy since my knee replacement, an operation that went very well. I also have two hip replacements, the first of which resulted in a muscle becoming detached, thus causing me to limp (gluteus medius).

I have had a lot of physiotherapy, both on land and in water after my operations, which have got me back on my feet.

Working in warm water not only supports the body - oh the joy of walking without a limp - but allows you to work against the water to gain additional strength. Our physio, Tamsyn Burchell, works with you to find a range of exercises to suit you, which are checked, developed and strengthened.

Tamsyn and her assistant Moira help and devise new exercises. They have created a friendly helpful atmosphere which is a pleasure to work in, and it is very easy to discuss with them any problems which have arisen, and they will help and advise. With my multiple problems, it has been an enormously supportive service.

I feel I have gained strength in my body, hold myself better and have achieved everyday living without walking sticks - when I was told in 1992 that I would never walk without a stick!"

I recently underwent a total knee replacement. A neighbour who had had the same operation last year recommended that hydrotherapy would help speed up my recovery. I booked a session at the Teddington Hydrotherapy pool 3 weeks after my operation and was amazed at the effect the warm water had on my knee joint.

It relaxed the muscles, ligaments and tendons and under the supervision of a physiotherapist who was in the pool with me, I was able to increase the movement and flexibility of both the joint and leg. I improved rapidly during the first 6 weeks of recovery having hydrotherapy weekly and my improvement continues. I would recommend this form of therapy to anyone who has had joint replacement."

S. Butler 

What does it treat?

• Arthritis
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Post fracture
• Post orthopaedic surgery
• Sports injuries
• Lower back pain
• General decreased fitness

Click to see the conditions we treat