Affiliations: Division of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Note: [1] The author would like to recognize and thank Cara C. Adams, MS, PT, and Paula Owens for editorial and technical assistance.
Abstract: Patients with neurological disorders present therapists with complex challenges for treatment, including weakness, hypertonicity, voluntary movement deficit, limited range of motion, sensory loss, incoordination, and postural instability. The presence of one or more of these impairments negatively influences these patients by contributing to problems in walking, transferring, and reaching. Aquatic rehabilitation offers a unique, versatile approach to the treatment of these disabilities. This article examines the problems encountered by patients with neurological disorders, general principles guiding neurotreatment, and aquatic neurorehabilitation approaches.
Keywords: Neurological disorders, aquatic rehabilitation, neurotreatment, neurorehabilitation, task type training approach, WATSU
