Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy at Beacroft Referrals
At Beacroft referrals, our hydrotherapy facilities offer both a large hydrotherapy pool and an underwater treadmill (UWT). These facilities allow us to select the most appropriate treatment modality for the pathology present and gives us the option to combine treatments thus maximising the speed of recovery.
What is Canine Hydrotherapy?
Canine hydrotherapy is a form of non/ partial weight bearing exercise and can involve the use of either a heated swimming pool or an underwater treadmill. Hydrotherapy uses the properties of water in facilitating rehabilitation. The key water properties help encourage joint range of motion and reduce pressure acting on the joints.
Hydrotherapy in conjunction with veterinary treatment can significantly improve function and rate of healing for patients suffering from numerous musculoskeletal pathologies.
The appropriate use of hydrotherapy can help with rehabilitation and increase the chance of a successful return to full fitness. Hydrotherapy also plays an integral part of managing young growing dogs diagnosed with developmental conditions and forms a key stone to arthritic management
What to expect when referred for hydrotherapy treatment:
All patients referred for hydrotherapy (except conditioning and maintenance patients) will firstly have a land-based physiotherapy assessment with one of our physiotherapists so that appropriate treatment aims and goals can be set.
A treatment programme is then designed and handed over to the hydrotherapy team.
The treatment programme might require both the pool and underwater treadmill therapy or just one intervention. Most often, spinal conditions, gait re-education and global muscle strengthening is performed in the underwater treadmill, whereas general strengthening, cardiovascular conditioning and joint mobilisation can be performed in the pool.
Specific physiotherapy exercises can be performed on our incline pool ramp that are too difficult to perform on land, including supported stretching, balance, and core stability training.
Our heated pool is one of the largest in the area and is easily accessible for patients of all sizes and breeds. Hydrotherapy sessions take place individually with one or two hydro therapists in the water.
