That’s right: if you choose to try a session of hydro-kinesiotherapy – that is, water-based rehabilitation – your therapist will make use of all...
Despite its complex name (from the Greek “hydro”, meaning water, and “kinesis”, meaning movement), hydro-kinesiotherapy is truly rehabilitation for everyone: it helps the vast majority of patients overcome many different issues.
We asked our therapist Sara Baltuzzi, head of the service for Kinetic Center, to answer the most relevant questions about this type of physiotherapy.
Why in water?
When we move in water, it supports much of our body weight, creating a “microgravity” or reduced-gravity environment. This favors the execution of correct movements even in cases of reduced muscle tone, difficulty bearing weight, or acute pain.
Moreover, water has a decontracting and vascularizing effect on muscles and tissues.
Finally, by performing movements that are not possible on land, the patient gains confidence and becomes more aware of what they are capable of. In short: water is truly our friend, and it’s been proven that therapy in this environment significantly reduces recovery times.
Is it for me?
Doing therapy in water allows for a completely different management of a condition, especially for those limited by acute pain and an inability to bear weight – for example, patients with orthopedic issues, post-operative needs, neurological conditions, or chronic pain.
Of course, there are situations in which water physiotherapy is not recommended and could even have the opposite of the desired effect. For example, it’s not advisable for those suffering from serious generalized conditions like significant heart or respiratory failure, advanced neoplastic diseases (cancers), infectious diseases (due to risk of contamination), or open wounds and skin lesions.
In case of doubt, a doctor can certainly give personalized advice to each patient.
How does a session work?
Water therapy is primarily active, consisting of exercises or targeted movements adapted to the patient’s condition. This does not exclude the possibility of the physiotherapist helping the patient perform movements passively, especially when they cannot be done independently.
We conduct water therapy in pools equipped with stairs and handrails for easier access, with varying depths (from 90 cm to 1.20 m) to allow non-swimmers to feel grounded and work with different loads depending on the issue. The more intense the pain, the deeper the area of the pool we use, taking advantage of the buoyancy and reducing load and pain.
The water is always warm, with a temperature around 32–33°C, which favors the decontracting effect. Exercises can be made easier or more difficult with special floating equipment like boards and noodles, or weighted objects to create some resistance – always with the aim of managing issues where dry physiotherapy might be too aggressive.
Is it for children? For the elderly?
It’s really for everyone: kids, adults, and seniors. Of course, each patient receives a personalized approach: with younger patients we choose more dynamic and fun exercises, while with adults we target the specific issue. For seniors, we opt for a more global approach to manage fatigue levels. Everyone gets a treatment within their capabilities.
What if I can’t swim?
You don’t need to know how to swim to benefit from hydro-kinesiotherapy. Of course, it’s one of the first things we ask, to understand the patient’s comfort level with water, whether they’re afraid of being in a pool, and to adopt the best safety measures.
Is it suitable for pregnant women?
Absolutely! Pregnant women can gain great benefits from this kind of therapy, if approved by their gynecologist. We often organize water exercise sessions for expectant mothers, designed to offload body weight and relax the muscles – a great help especially in the later trimesters.
Unfortunately, hydro-kinesiotherapy is still not widely talked about, because many centers are not equipped with the necessary facilities to offer this kind of rehabilitation.
At Kinetic Center, we offer hydro-kinesiotherapy at the Parco Maraini pool, under the supervision of our expert Sara Baltuzzi, who also spoke about her work and hydro-kinesiotherapy in a radio interview for Il Quinto Elemento on RSI, an excerpt of which you can listen to here:
Our hydro-kinesiotherapy service is covered by basic health insurance and is offered every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Parco Maraini (Via Massagno 32, 6900 Lugano).
To book an appointment, you can call 091 921 41 88 or contact us via WhatsApp at 076 266 95 91.
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To ensure a high-quality service, the Kinetic Center is affiliated with several important associations and holds various certifications that attest to its excellence.
