Aquatic Therapy Leads to Progress with No Pain

Shields resident Susan McInerney had already undergone successful outpatient rehabilitation at HealthSource after a total knee replacement. She was a BIG fan of the aquatic therapy pool since it allowed her to move and progress with little to no pain.

“I was at a different rehabilitation center for five months after my knee surgery. I couldn’t even walk or bend it or do anything,” Sue explains. “My doctor sent me to HealthSource. Once I got out here and got into the pool, my knee started to work because the water just gave me the ability to bend it.”

So, when she broke her hip a short time later after tripping and falling at home, she knew she would head back to HealthSource for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation.

“My 12 days of inpatient therapy were eye-opening,” Sue explains. “They get you up, but you dress yourself and get started with therapy right away. I was down in therapy for an hour and a half every morning and afternoon. HealthSource is very efficient at what they do. They don’t let you get away with anything. They make sure you follow through – which is the only way you’re going to get healthy.”

By far, her favorite part of therapy was the pool. The aquatic therapy pool at HealthSource is like no other in the area. Patients don’t have to maneuver steps or ladders to access the water. Instead, a platform rises to floor level, allowing patients to step on or roll on in a wheelchair. The platform then lowers slowly into the warm water. Sturdy rails can be lifted and lowered into place to provide patients with added stability during exercises. The platform itself also turns into a treadmill, allowing patients to walk at a variety of speeds.

HealthSource therapists are specially trained in aquatic therapy, which benefits the rehabilitation process by:

• Adding buoyancy to support the weight of a patient while providing gentle resistance
• Decreasing weight bearing and force on joints
• Increasing mobility
• Incorporating warmth to sooth soreness and promote muscle relaxation

“I totally love the pool,” Sue says. “With the two rails, I felt very secure. Eventually, I got so I didn’t have to hang on to them. The main thing is you can do something without pain.”

Establishing a close relationship with a therapist is also an important part of the HealthSource experience. “Brian is a fantastic therapist, and I’ve had him both times,” she explains. “All the people who have ever taken care of me have such a passion for what they do. They all really work at making you succeed.”

For Sue, success will be getting her knee and hip working “excellently” so she can get back to being more active again. At 82, she has her sights set on getting back to some community leadership positions and becoming more active in her church. “Everyone in my life knows I’m 100% behind HealthSource,” she notes. “I endorse it because I have lived through it. It’s been an excellent experience.”