Aquatic Therapy

What is aquatic therapy?

Aquatic therapy is a type of physical therapy performed in the water. The buoyancy of water provides support, helps decrease patients’ weight bearing, and can assist in performing exercises patients may struggle to perform on land. Our state-of-the-art — and pleasantly warm — therapy pool is designed to provide the perfect environment for aquatic therapy with a hydraulic lift, stair entry, and deep well for jogging. While attending aquatic therapy sessions, patients may focus on increasing strength, endurance, and balance while working one on one with one of our physical therapists.

Common conditions

Aquatic therapy can help with a variety of conditions such as arthritis, back and joint pain, post orthopedic surgery, and general muscle weakness. Aquatic therapy can work for all ages and ability levels.

The most common conditions treated with aquatic therapy include:

  • Back pain and spine rehab
  • Arthritis
  • Sports rehab
  • Balance training
  • General weakness
  • Chronic pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Post operative surgeries including: (we do provide waterproof dressings for post op incisions)
    • Joint replacements
    • Fractures
    • Arthroscopic
    • Spinal
    • ACL/knee surgeries
    • Shoulder surgeries
    • Ankle surgeries


Aquatic therapist teaching a boy how to swim using a floatable

Facility

Aquatic therapy at Carlinville Area Hospital & Clinics is held in a 20-by-20-foot SwimEx therapy pool. We maintain a water temperature of 92-94 degrees with depths ranging from 4-6 feet, allowing for a variety of exercises including deep water work. Various pieces of exercise equipment designed specifically for the water include weights and an underwater treadmill. Patients enter the pool via stairs or chair lift, and locker rooms equipped with lockers, bathrooms, and showers are also available for patient use.


For more information on the aquatic therapy services at Carlinville Area Hospital & Clinics, call 217-854-3141 ext. 298.