HYDROTHERAPY

- The partial or total immersion of the body to evoke local or systemic changes in circulation and tissue temperature. - The turbulence of water for the purpose of cleansing/debriding wounds, relieving pain, stimulating sensation

- Joint stiffness - Muscle guarding - Pain relief - Warm-up to/assist with exercise - Invoke heating/cooling of superficial tissues - Wound cleansing/debridement

- Buoyancy - Application - Relative density - Specific gravity - Hydrostatic pressure

– body immersed in a liquid experiences upward force equal to weight of the displaced liquid

– assistance or resistance during exercise in water

– provides support for body and limbs in water

– ratio weight of a volume of substance to the weight of an equal volume of water · SG of body = 0.974 ->floats

Perpendicular force exerted by fluid on a given body surface area. · Depends on depth of submerged area and density of liquid · Hydrostatic pressure increases with depth and density, so motion is more easily performed at surface

- conduction - Convention - Radiation - Evaporation

– heat transferred between two surfaces in direct physical contact with each other · Depends on insulation factors – fat · Fat inhibits heating of deeper-lying tissues and cooling of core.

– thermal energy exchange when fluid moves from one place to another. · Immersion with whirlpool accentuates heating of body parts · Patient moving in water also facilitates heating of tissues

– exchange of electromagnetic energy whereby heat is exchanged between skin and environment. Assists in heat transfer to air and cooling of body; regulation of core temperature · Cooling via radiation is limited as body surface immersion increases

– heat transfer through loss of fluid from sweating or exhalation · Depends on body surface area exposed to air · Ambient room temperature and humidity

- Thermal effects of Heat – localized or systemic - Thermal effects of Cold – localized or systemic

- Analgesic via sensory stimulation - Relaxation of muscle guarding - Cleansing/debriding of wounds - Facilitation of exercise