Physiological Effects of Hydrotherapy PDF

Introduction to Hydrotherapy By Dr. Dina Al-Amir  Hydrotherapy  Hydrotherapy is Greek words hydro "water" and therapeia "healing"  Hydrotherapy is therapeutic modality that uses water in any form or temperature (hot, cold, steam, liquid, ice) for the treatment of...

Introduction to Hydrotherapy By Dr. Dina Al-Amir  Hydrotherapy  Hydrotherapy is Greek words hydro "water" and therapeia "healing"  Hydrotherapy is therapeutic modality that uses water in any form or temperature (hot, cold, steam, liquid, ice) for the treatment of physical or psychological dysfunction. Hydrotherapy is specifically designed to improve:  Neuromuscular  skeletal,  and proprioceptive function in patients with acute, subacute , and chronic disabilities. Physiological Effects of Hydrotherapy  Cardiovascular system  Blood is displaced centrally secondary to hydrostatic pressure, causing an increase in central venous pressure  The amount of blood displacement depends on the depth of submersion.  A patient immersed to the neck will have 700 cm3 of blood displaced from the periphery into the thorax and heart,  Causing an increase in right atrial pressure, stroke volume, cardiac output, and muscle circulation, as well as a decrease in systemic vascular resistance  Stroke volume : the volume of blood pumped out of the heart's left ventricle during each systolic cardiac contraction  Cardiac output : is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute  VO2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption, refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. This measurement is generally considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.  Cardiac output with a normal heart rate (ie, 86 beats per minute [bpm]) is 5 L/min; with immersion, it increases to 8.6 L/min at 86 bpm.  The velocity dependent resistance to motion provided by water increases the metabolic rate and energy expenditure, as measured by V02, by approximately a factor of 3 when activity is performed at the same speed in water as on dry land.  Pulmonary system  Vital capacity decreases 6-9% secondary to the increased work of breathing from hydrostatic pressure on the chest wall, whereas the total work of breathing increases by 60% with water to the level of the neck.  Pulmonary blood flow increases, and pulmonary wedge pressure increases to 22 mm Hg. Additionally, hydrostatic pressure causes the rib cage circumference to decrease by about 10%, with a concomitant reduction in chest wall compliance.  Vital Capacity : the total amount of air exhaled after maximal inhalation Renal system  Increases in renal blood flow,  Increase creatinine clearance, sodium excretion, and potassium excretion.  Increased diuresis as a result of decreased renin, aldosterone, and antidiuretic hormone (ADH).  So, Hydrotherapy with full-body immersion has been recommended as a treatment for edema in patients with nephrotic syndrome and cirrhosis that is resistant to diuretic intervention. Musculoskeletal system  The buoyancy of water unloads the weight bearing anatomical structures  The velocity resistance  The hydrostatic pressure exerted by water increases resting blood flow by 100% to 225% during immersion of the body up to the neck.  Immersion acts to drive out edema, lactate, and other metabolic end products.  The elevated temperature of the water causes peripheral vasodilatation