Aquatic Therapy
Now for all ages!
Why Aquatic Therapy?
Because it’s fun! Buoyancy reduces gravity, so it’s a safe place to challenge balance and relieve muscle and joint pain.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy
Improve Balance
Increase Bloodflow
Gain Strength
Our Services
-
Pediatric Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy for children with:
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Cerebral Palsy
Down Syndrome ant oher genetic disorders and disabilities
Muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders
-
Adult Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy for adults with:
Post operative therapy
Spinal Cord Injuries
Balance/Gait/Strengthening needs
Stroke Rehab
Hi, I’m Kristin!
That’s why I got my clinical competency certification in aquatic therapy through the Academy of Aquatic Physical Therapy and started First Step’s aquatic therapy program! I love the freedom of movement that water can give. Buoyancy and compression together make water a unique place to build strong muscles and practice new skills that otherwise might be difficult on land. Working with patients in the pool is also just so much fun!
Swimming has been a long time passion of mine. I started swimming when I was 8, swam through high school and college, and now compete on the Snohomish Aquatic Center’s Master’s team! I have even qualified for Nationals a few times.
Water you waiting for? Let's see if aquatic therapy (swim) suits you so you can get back in the swim of things!
I love being in the water! I never get tired of seeing the joy on my patients’ faces when they realize they can do something in the water that they couldn’t do on land.
What does aquatic therapy look like?
During aquatic therapy treatment, we might use a variety of equipment, such as:
Water wheel chairs (various sizes)
Water walker
Ankle weights
Aquatic dumbbells
Pool noodles
Gait belt/safety belt
A variety of fun pool toys!
FAQs
-
You can do aquatic therapy with any level or experience with swimming, including no experience!
-
The Snohomish Aquatic Center has a pool chair lift to assist with transferring into the pool. It also has a zero entry to allow for a gradual increase in pool depth for more ambulatory patients so that the level of support in the water can be adjusted for each patient.
We use the Warm Springs pool at the Bellevue Aquatic Center. Warm Springs has accessibility features including a wheelchair ramp, gradual entry and two lifts.
-
The pool will provide life preservers as needed, free of cost!
-
No. In aquatic therapy, the emphasis is on functional movement and strengthening. Since it is pool-based physical therapy, life-saving skills are incorporated into treatment.
-
In aquatic therapy, we treat all ages!
Our in-clinic services are provided only to children.
-
If your insurance is in-network, we will bill your insurance for physical therapy, because we are doing physical therapy in the pool!
A pool fee will also be charged for each session. This will be used for reserving the pool because we contract a space for our aquatic therapy sessions. This fee cannot be billed to insurance.
Snohomish Aquatic Center
516 Maple Ave
Snohomish, WA 98290
Bellevue Aquatic Center
601 143rd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98007