Aquatic therapy offers an alternative environment for therapeutic exercise. If you have tried traditional physical therapy or have restrictions on your physical therapy program, aquatic therapy may be the perfect solution for your physical therapy needs. Patients with orthopedic and arthritic conditions can stretch and strengthen in an impact reduced environment. If you have a restricted weight-bearing status after surgery, aquatic therapy may also be ideal for you. The buoyancy of water reduces the stress of gravity so you can exercise in water, even if you have partial weight-bearing status.
Tag Archives: Sports injuries
ACL Injury Prevention and the Female Athlete
Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, girls’ participation in high school sports has increased more than 900%.1 The speed, power, and intensity displayed by female athletes have dramatically increased over the past decade. The aggressive style of play has led to an increase in musculoskeletal injuries. One of the more common is a sprain or rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This knee injury is the most common cause of permanent disability in female high school basketball players, accounting for up to 91% of season-ending injuries and 94% of injuries requiring surgery.2 In the United States, 20,000 to 80,000 high school female athletes experience ACL injuries each year. There is an incidence rate of 1 out of 100 female high school athletes and 1 in 10 college athletes per season who are injuring their ACLs each year.