Physical and Aquatic Therapy

The YMCA Healthy Living Center provides outpatient physical and aquatic therapy rehabilitation and restorative patient care services.  We are dedicated to improving our patients' quality of life.  All of our therapy programs are designed with personalized goals in mind.  Not only do we strive to return each patient safely and quickly to prior levels of activity, we also offer various step-through programs into long-term healthy living with a YMCA membership.

Physical Therapy

The YMCA Healthy Living Center Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants are licensed professionals who are experts in movement potential within the spheres of health promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation.  They are trained to analyze movement and identify abnormal mechanics.  Physical Therapists provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease.  After an initial evaluation they will treat a dysfunction with manual skills and therapeutic exercise that will accelerate the recovery process.  Upon discharge the therapist will design a specific exercise program that a patient may execute independently.  In addition, our patient's can transfer from therapy into various medical programs to continue therapy goals supervised by medical program instructors as a member of the YMCA Healthy Living Center.

Aquatic Therapy

For many years, physical therapists have seen the benefits of aquatic therapy. As well as treating patients with orthopedic injuries and chronic pain, aquatic physical therapy is also an effective treatment for post-surgical patients, neurological patients, post-partum patients, cancer patients suffering from painful joints and muscles, and athlete rehabilitation.

Why Water Works?

Water has numerous characteristics that make it conducive to meeting treatment goals. Hydrostatic pressure is the equal pressure on all body parts that are immersed in water; this trait often helps to reduce swelling when exercises are performed below the surface of the water.

When a person enters the water the hydrostatic pressure that is applied to all body surfaces creates an upward force known as buoyancy. Buoyancy decreases the forces on body tissues and reduces joint impact. It also allows exercise with decreased pain and improved mobility for those individuals who may be overweight or arthritic. It is remarkable to see how quickly patients improve when they begin aquatic physical therapy.

Another characteristic of water that makes it beneficial for treatment is resistance. Water is much more resistive than air. This resistance provides weak muscles with needed strength training. The natural properties of water allow patients to improve quicker in water than they would on land.

Aquatic Therapy is Appropriate for Patients With

• Cervical and low back pain
• Rheumatoid/Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Joint sprains and strains
• Total joint arthroplasty
• Athletic injuries
• Post surgical orthopedic conditions
• Various neurological disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Various chronic pain conditions
• Obesity
• Children with disabilities

Benefits of Aquatic Therapy

• Improves range of motion
• Increases muscular strength and core stabilization
• Enhances oxygen and caloric consumption
• Works balance and coordination
• General relaxation
• Joint flexibility
• Promotes circulation
• Pain reduction
• Joint distraction or unloading
• Athletic enhancement

Physical and Aquatic Therapy is provided by one of the YMCA's team of licensed Physical Therapists.  To receive physical or aquatic therapy a participant must have a doctor’s referral. For more information contact the medical programs office at 515-645-3350. 

To find out what to bring to an appointment and to download the forms that will need to be completed click here.