Sports Injuries
Generally any rehabilitation program for sports injuries has 3 main objectives:
1. To decrease pain and swelling
2. To encouraging the healing and the formation of new tissue in the correct areas
3. Gradual increase in activity with the ultimate aim of return to sport
Treatment and exercise in warm water can aid and accelerate all of these processes.
For sports men and women having an individual tailored rehabilitation program containing Hydrotherapy will enable them to be pain free and back to sport in a shorter period of time.
The properties of the warm water help to:
a) Reduce pain and swelling as buoyancy supports the injured area enabling you to perform movements with reduced pain.
b) Increase circulation to reduce swelling and bruising
And most importantly
c) Allows exercise immediately as the water weight bearing properties allow you to perform functional exercise without putting stress on joints or injuries. You will also be able to maintain your Cardio-vascular fitness and perform activities such as running much earlier than on land.
Hydrotherapy Case Study
A 32 year old recreational rugby player twisted his ankle playing a Sunday friendly rugby game.
He was helped off the pitch by his colleagues and his wife took him to A and E. In A and E he was x-rayed and no break seen. He was given some elbow crutches to walk and some advice on ice, elevation and rest. On Thursday of the same week he was still unable to properly walk and his ankle was very painful and swollen.
He saw his GP who referred him for Physiotherapy.
His physiotherapist assessed him and started performing some soft tissue techniques and gentle mobilisation to improve his movement in his foot in order to reduce his swelling. She also started to work on correcting his walking which he found very painful. As a result of the pain the Physiotherapist also referred him to Hydrotherapy.
He was seen in the pool 3 days later and immediately started a program consisting of lots of walking practice to try and encourage correct walking technique. The warm water properties also improved his circulation and helped increase the blood flow to the area and after each session the swelling was reduced.
The buoyancy of the water was used to assist ankle movements. He gradually progressed to using the water to resist movements.
Over the weeks, together with his land physiotherapy, he worked hard on balance, jumping and running in the pool, until he was ready to perform these more challenging activities on land and to resume rugby training to practice skill specific rehabilitation.
Testimonials
"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
