What Is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy, also known as aquatic therapy, involves performing targeted exercises, stretches, or hands-on treatment in warm water to help improve specific symptoms or physical limitations.
At Bespoke Physiotherapy, our neurological physiotherapists are highly experienced in delivering hydrotherapy for both neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, using water-based therapy to support safe and effective rehabilitation.
Principles of Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is guided by several key principles that make it a powerful and adaptable treatment approach:
Warm Water (typically 33–36°C):
Warm water helps relax muscles, increase blood flow and reduce pain and stiffness.Buoyancy:
Water supports body weight, decreasing stress on joints and making movement easier. This allows people to perform exercises that may be difficult or painful on land.Hydrostatic Pressure:
The natural pressure of the water acts like a gentle compression bandage, helping to reduce swelling (oedema) and joint inflammation.Resistance:
Water provides gentle, consistent resistance that helps build strength without the need for weights. Resistance can be increased using water currents for more challenging exercise.Balance Support:
Water movement and currents help safely challenge balance in a controlled environment.
Benefits of Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy can lead to a wide range of physical benefits, including:
Improve cardiovascular fitness and walking endurance
Reduced pain
Decreased muscle spasm and muscle tone
Increased muscle strength and power
Improved walking quality
Better balance and reduced risk of falls
Enhanced overall functional capacity
Spasticity management
Conditions Supported by Evidence
Hydrotherapy has strong evidence supporting its use for a range of conditions, including:
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease
Stroke
Spinal cord injury (both incomplete and complete)
Rheumatoid arthritis
Lower back pain
Osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis
Post-operative recovery following surgery
Local Pool Options
At Bespoke Physiotherapy, we can attend a range of pools across Melbourne. However, we recommend the Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre due to its close proximity to our clinic (helping minimise travel costs) and its excellent facilities designed to support people with varying physical abilities.
Getting Started
If you are interested in trying hydrotherapy, please contact our admin team or speak directly with your physiotherapist at Bespoke Physiotherapy.
Before commencing hydrotherapy, we will complete a consent form and ensure there are no medical conditions that would make participation unsafe.
References
Amedoro A, Berardi A, Conte A, Pelosin E, Valente D, Maggi G, Tofani M, Galeoto G. The effect of aquatic physical therapy on patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2020 Jun;41:102022. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2020.102022. Epub 2020 Feb 22. PMID: 32114368.
Al-Qubaeissy KY, Fatoye FA, Goodwin PC, Yohannes AM. The effectiveness of hydrotherapy in the management of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review. Musculoskeletal Care. 2013 Mar;11(1):3-18. doi: 10.1002/msc.1028. Epub 2012 Jul 16. PMID: 22806987.
Gu X, Zeng M, Cui Y, Fu J, Li Y, Yao Y, Shen F, Sun Y, Wang Z, Deng D. Aquatic strength training improves postural stability and walking function in stroke patients. Physiother Theory Pract. 2023 Aug 3;39(8):1626-1635. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2022.2049939. Epub 2022 Mar 14. PMID: 35285397.
Liu Z, Huang M, Liao Y, Xie X, Zhu P, Liu Y, Tan C. Long-term efficacy of hydrotherapy on balance function in patients with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023 Dec 13;15:1320240. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1320240. PMID: 38152605; PMCID: PMC10751311.
Mirmoezzi M, Irandoust K, H'mida C, Taheri M, Trabelsi K, Ammar A, Paryab N, Nikolaidis PT, Knechtle B, Chtourou H. Efficacy of hydrotherapy treatment for the management of chronic low back pain. Ir J Med Sci. 2021 Nov;190(4):1413-1421. doi: 10.1007/s11845-020-02447-5. Epub 2021 Jan 6. PMID: 33409843.
Palladino L, Ruotolo I, Berardi A, Carlizza A, Galeoto G. Efficacy of aquatic therapy in people with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spinal Cord. 2023 Jun;61(6):317-322. doi: 10.1038/s41393-023-00892-4. Epub 2023 Mar 25. PMID: 36966260.
Radder DLM, Lígia Silva de Lima A, Domingos J, Keus SHJ, van Nimwegen M, Bloem BR, de Vries NM. Physiotherapy in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Present Treatment Modalities. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2020 Oct;34(10):871-880. doi: 10.1177/1545968320952799. Epub 2020 Sep 11. PMID: 32917125; PMCID: PMC7564288.
