Hydrotherapy classes
Commencing 2010 the price of an aqua & hydro class will increase to $12.
Aqua & Hydro classes finish Fri 19th Dec 09.
Hydro and night aqua classes commence Mon 11th Jan 10.
All day aqua classes resume Mon 2nd Feb 10.
Introduction
Whangarei Aquatics in association with CLM Health and Fitness have opened the new hydrotherapy pool on September 20th 2007. This new facility is for the whole community and we urge you to consider using it with our easily accessible wheelchair ramp and sloped walking access to the pool for your clients. There are 170 car parks available outside the facility and a café sited next to the hydrotherapy pool. The facility has upgraded changing areas and has installed a specialised wheelchair friendly changing area at the hydrotherapy poolside.
Costs
Our costs allow all members of the community access to help alleviate any
mental or health conditions that may require hydrotherapy services.
The facility will run 2 hydrotherapy supervised classes with qualified REPs registered trainers, costing $12 each person. The sessions will be gentle stretch and joint mobility exercising.
Sessions: Tues & Fri 10 - 11am Wed 8-9am
Historical Perspective
There is a great demand for hydrotherapy in our community and the new service will bring relief to the elderly, people with disabilities, and those recovering from injury. Hydrotherapy services will be essential as our population ages here in Whangarei. Our hydrotherapy pool will be kept at a constant temperature of 34/35C, which has been found to be the best temperature for hydrotherapy exercise in relief of pain.
The use of water to treat rheumatic diseases has a long history.
Today, hydrotherapy is used to treat arthritis, burns, spasticity, ankylosing spondylitis, musculoskeletal disorders, spinal cord injuries and stroke patients with paralysis. It is also used to treat orthopaedic and neurological conditions in dogs and horses and to improve fitness.
Immersion in water - and doing exercises in water - has always been a popular therapy. Thousands of years of treatments have built an enormous amount of expertise but the alleged benefits had little supporting evidence from science until approximately 30 years ago. A 2006 survey of research in Annuals of the Rheumatic Diseases discusses the vast amount of high-quality studies showing the effectiveness of hydrotherapy. A new field of research focuses on the cost-effectiveness of hydrotherapy vs. other forms of treatment.
How it works
The recuperative and healing properties of hydrotherapy are based on its mechanical and/or thermal effects. It exploits the body's reaction to hot and cold stimuli, to the protracted application of heat, to pressure exerted by the water and to the sensation it gives. The nerves carry impulses felt at the skin deeper into the body, invigorating the circulation and digestion, encouraging blood flow, and lessening pain sensitivity. This allows for freedom of movement and partial weight bearing in warm water.
Generally, heat quietens and soothes the body, slowing down the activity of internal organs. Cold, in contrast, stimulates and invigorates, increasing internal activity. If you are experiencing tense muscles and anxiety from your stress, a hot shower or bath is in order. If you are feeling tired and stressed out, you might want to try taking a warm shower or bath followed by a short, invigorating cold shower to help stimulate your body and mind.
When you submerge yourself in a pool, or a whirlpool, you experience a kind of weightlessness. Your body is relieved from the constant pull of gravity. Water also has a hydrostatic effect. It has a massage-like feeling as the water gently kneads your body. Water, in motion, stimulates touch receptors on the skin, boosting blood circulation and releasing tight muscles. Water seems to have special powers in getting rid of stress and rejuvenating our body. It affects the skin and muscles. It calms the lungs, heart, stomach, and endocrine system by stimulating nerve reflexes in the spinal cord. It will assist in better sleep patterns.
Indications
Hydrotherapy and hydrothermal therapy are chiefly used to tone up the body, to stimulate digestion, the circulation, and the immune system, and to bring relief from pain. Hydrotherapy is instrumental in stimulating the immune system which helps lighten the mood of participants and alleviation of most pain.
Risks and Cautions
When a condition is recurrent or persistent, please consult your doctor to determine whether a physical therapy of this type is suitable in your case.
If you have a chronic condition, please seek advice from your doctor.
Recommended by
Mrs Isobel Finlayson, Physiotherapist, Sport Northland
Mr Ryan Saunders and Mrs Helen Doar from Primecare Physiotherapy