Florida Hospital Waterman | Waterman Wellness | Winter 2018

FHWaterman . com 7 For almost five months, Peggy McLaughlin used a knee walker to help her get around. She didn’t use her left leg at all. “I had surgery on my left foot and was not allowed to put any pressure on it,” McLaugh- lin explains. “My doctor prescribed aquatic therapy for me and it has been incredible in helping me to regain the use of my leg again.” Aquatic therapy is physical therapy that takes place in a pool or other aquatic envi- ronment under the supervision of a trained health care professional. The soothing properties of water appeal to those in search of treatment that can heal the body while improving rehabilitation time frames and fitness levels or reducing overall stress levels. “Florida Hospital Waterman is the only local clinic that has an indoor heated rehab pool,” says physical therapist Carol Haney, PTA. “It is always used in a one-on-one situation with one therapist and one patient. It provides a safe place for practicing move- ments that might normally make a patient be concerned with falling or losing their balance. It also can reduce pain during the rehab process and allow for a faster recovery.” Patients that are prescribed unweighted therapy will typically start in aquatic re- hab and progress to therapy outside of the pool once they have regained some initial strength, range of motion and balance. “Prior to my aquatic rehab, I couldn’t bend my toes or my foot,” says McLaughlin. “The therapy has been remarkable and I have really enjoyed it. Learning how to walk in the water first was a lot easier than learning how to walk on land. It also took away my fear of falling because the only risk was get- ting my hair wet!” Getting back on both feet IS AQUATIC THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU? Visit FHWaterman.com or call 352-253-3892 to learn more. Aquatic therapy benefits • Individualized treatment plan for each specific patient and their diagnosis • Progressive program design to help achieve specific functional goals • Muscular relaxation, which facilitates longer sessions • Increased circulation and general metabolic rate • Reduced swelling, and increased range of motion and flexibility • Reduced compressive forces on the joints and reduced pain with movement • Buoyancy enables patients to walk with a more normal gait pattern and improves mobility Florida Hospital Waterman Rehabilitation Institute is proud to be the only pro- vider of aquatic therapy in northern Lake County. Aquatic therapy is ap- propriate for any ability or phase of rehabilitation and produces unique benefits for the patient derived from the combi- nation of the therapeutic water temperature, pres- sure and buoyancy.