Aquatic therapy

Food-borne trematodiases (flukes) are transmitted through the consumption of contaminated undercooked aquatic food. Infections are most prevalent in Southeast Asia and Latin America, but might occur anywhere due to food trade, international travel, human migration. Clinical manifestations are hepatobiliary, intestinal, and pleuropulmonary. The worse complication is development of cholangiocarcinoma. Efficacious drug therapy are available, however prevention control measures are essential to avoid transmission...

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic and inflammatory rheumatic disease, characterized by pain and structural and functional impairments, such as reduced mobility and axial deformity, which lead to diminished quality of life. Its treatment includes not only drugs, but also nonpharmacological therapy. Exercise appears to be a promising modality. The aim of this study is to review the current evidence and evaluate the role of exercise either on land or in water for the management of patients with AS in the biological era...

OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences regarding aquatic physiotherapy among parents of children with cerebral palsy and to identify a list of relevant intervention categories for aquatic physiotherapy treatments. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups using the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a frame of reference to explore and code experiences regarding aquatic physiotherapy...

Bacteriophages play significant role in driving microbial diversity; however, little is known about the diversity of phages in different ecosystems. A dynamic predator-prey mechanism called "kill the winner" suggests the elimination of most active bacterial populations through phages. Thus, interaction between phage and host has an effect on the composition of microbial communities in ecosystems. In this study, secondary phage metagenome data from aquatic habitats: wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), fresh, marine, and hot water spring habitat were analyzed using MG-RAST and STAMP tools to explore the diversity of the viruses...

Gait initiation is defined as the transition from stationary standing to steady-state walking. Despite the frequent use of therapy pools for training walking in early stages of rehabilitation, none have been reported on the effects of immersion on gait initiation. We aimed to analyze the center of pressure (COP) trajectories, the vertical and anteroposterior impulses and upper and lower trunk accelerations during anticipatory (APA) and execution phases of gait initiation. In the COP trajectory, the execution (EXE) phase was further subdivided in two phases: predominantly mediolateral (EXE1), and predominantly anteroposterior (EXE2)...

A 54-year old female, retired due to progressive cognitive decline, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's dementia. Conventional medication therapy for dementia had proven futile. Initial evaluation revealed a non-verbal female seated in a wheelchair, dependent on 2-person assist for all transfers and activities of daily living (ADLs.) She had been either non-responsive or actively resistive for both ADLs and transfers in the 6 months prior to assessment. Following a total of 17 one hour therapy sessions over 19 weeks in a warm water therapy pool, she achieved ability to tread water for 15 minutes, transfers improved to moderate to-maximum assist from seated, ambulation improved to 1000' with minimum-to-moderate assist of 2 persons...

INTRODUCTION: Stroke remains the leading cause of acquired disability. Health and social planning and management may vary and although prevention is crucial, having better treatments and strategies to reduce disability is needed. AIM: To determine the effect of an intensive program of thalassotherapy and aquatic therapy in stroke patients, valuing clinical parameters and functional validated scales. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental prospective study consisting of a specific program assessed pre- and post- 3 weeks treatment to 26 stroke patients with a mild-moderate disability...

Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Few studies have examined the effectiveness of swim instruction for improving water safety skills in children with moderate to severe ASD. This study examines the feasibility and effectiveness of an aquatic therapy program on water safety and social skills in children with mild to severe ASD (n = 7). Water safety skills were evaluated using the Aquatics Skills Checklist and social skills were measured using the Social Skills Improvement Scale...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of aquatic treadmill training (ATT) as a new modality for stroke rehabilitation, by assessing changes in gait symmetry, balance function, and subjective balance confidence for the paretic and non-paretic leg in stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty-one subacute stroke patients participated in 15 intervention sessions of aquatic treadmill training. The Comfortable 10-Meter Walk Test (CWT), spatiotemporal gait parameters, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC) were assessed pre- and post-interventions...

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of exercise interventions in improving outcomes across domains of functioning and disability in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). DATA SOURCES: Seven electronic databases were systematically searched up to November 16, 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Original data, analytic prospective design, physical therapy-led exercise intervention evaluation, children and adolescents with JIA, and assessment of functional, structural, activity, participation, or quality of life outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Aquatic therapy promotes short-term benefits for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and it may be the first therapeutic option for this pathological condition. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an aquatic therapy program on pain intensity, functional ability, and quality of life in older people with knee OA. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a parallel, two-arm, open, randomized controlled clinical trial with older people with knee OA...

AIM: The objective of the present work was to rehabilitate more efficiently the patients who had undergone the surgical treatment for herniated discs in the lumbosacral spine by applying general magnetic therapy during the combined treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 73 patients underwent the medical examination and treatment. The patients matched for age and sex presenting with similar clinical symptoms were divided into two groups. All of them received initial therapy that included medication, therapeutic physical exercises, and aquatic therapy...

OBJECTIVES: Although several rehabilitation programmes following hip arthroscopy for femoracetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome have been described, there are no clinical trials evaluating whether formal physiotherapy-prescribed rehabilitation improves recovery compared with self-directed rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adding a physiotherapist-prescribed rehabilitation programme to arthroscopic surgery for FAI syndrome. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial...

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of aquatic obstacle training on balance parameters in comparison with a traditional aquatic therapy in patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: A randomized single-blind controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatients in the rehabilitation department. SUBJECTS: A total of 46 patients with Parkinson's disease in Hoehn-Yahr stage 2-3. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to (1) aquatic therapy or (2) obstacle aquatic therapy...

BACKGROUND: Gait, balance disorders and pain associated with Parkinson's disease represent important therapeutic challenges, as they are related with an increased risk of falls, together with disability and physical decline. AIM: To compare the effects of an aquatic Ai Chi training program on the perception of pain, the maintenance of balance and the functional independence of patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: A single-blind randomized controlled trial...

BACKGROUND: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare disease that causes the progressive loss of motor abilities such as walking. Standard treatment includes physiotherapy. No trial has evaluated whether or not adding aquatic therapy (AT) to land-based therapy (LBT) exercises helps to keep muscles strong and children independent. OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of recruiting boys with DMD to a randomised trial evaluating AT (primary objective) and to collect data from them; to assess how, and how well, the intervention and trial procedures work...

The aquatic Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae is the etiological agent of the infectious gastrointestinal disease cholera. Due to the global prevalence and severity of this disease, V. cholerae has been extensively studied in both environmental and laboratory settings, requiring proper maintenance and culturing techniques. Classical and El Tor are two main biotypes that compose the V. cholerae O1 serogroup, each displaying unique genotypic and phenotypic characteristics that provide reliable mechanisms for biotype characterization, and require distinct virulence inducing culturing conditions...

[Purpose] To examine the efficacy of Ai Chi in relieving the pain and stiffness of knee osteoarthritis and improving, physical functioning, proprioception and quality of life. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-five persons with knee osteoarthritis completed 5 weeks Ai Chi practice (60 minutes per session, twice per week, 10 sessions in total). Knee pain and stiffness were measured before and after the intervention program. [Results] Significant improvements in pain, self-perceived physical functioning and self-perceived stiffness were observed after the Ai-Chi intervention...

BACKGROUND: Compared with mammals, wound healing in reptiles is characterized by reduced wound contraction and longer healing times. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and histopathological effects of topical insulin on second-intention healing of experimentally induced wounds in skin without dermal bony plates of Trachemys scripta elegans exposed to daily variations in ambient temperature and in an aquatic environment. Forty-four healthy adult females were assigned to two groups: Group 1 (n = 24) was used to assess clinical features such as wound contraction; Group 2 (n = 20) was used for histological evaluation and morphometric analysis...

OBJECTIVE: To identify intervention categories encountered by physical therapists working in aquatic therapy with disabled children, using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth (ICF-CY). METHODS: Aquatic physical therapists were asked to describe concepts related to the functioning of disabled children and their contextual factors. Data were collected in three rounds using the Delphi technique. All answers were translated ('linked') to the ICF-CY and analyzed to determine the degree of consensus...