Manual treatment and exercise instruction may begin on the first visit. If time allows you may also go into the pool on this visit but often this will happen on the second visit. Based on the findings of the evaluation the therapist will decide when your treatment will be in the pool and when it will be on land or if you will do both on one day. When you are in the pool the therapist will instruct you in water exercise to address your problem areas and also do manual or hands-on therapy to facilitate your recovery. A good aquatic physical therapy will always integrate both land and water to maximize your functional progress.
Many people mistakenly think of swimming as the only form of water exercise.
If fact for some people swimming can be harmful depending on their diagnosis, fitness level and swimming ability. In aquatic physical therapy there will be many different types of exercise to do in the water. Some use equipment and some do not. Many times swimming is not even included in the physical therapy program. You do not need to know how to swim or get your ears or head wet to participating in aquatic physical therapy.