Spacious and state-of-the-art, our warm water aquatic center is the site of both individualized therapy for patients and group wellness classes for community participants. A movable floor which rises to meet the patient provides accessibility, safety, and convenience for people in wheelchairs or those with difficulty entering and exiting the pool by the staircase. Warm water (approximately 90 degrees F) decreases the effects of gravity, allows improved ease of movement, and provides joint protection during exercise. As water pressure increases with depth, it provides support for activities such as standing and aides to decrease swelling.
Warm water therapy and exercise also helps to increase:
- Circulation and respiration
- Strength and endurance
- Muscle Tone
- Mobility and Range of Motion
- Balance and Coordination
- Head and Trunk Control
- Spatial and sensory awareness
Individual aquatic therapy for patients:
Drake Center inpatient and outpatients can receive one-on-one and small group therapy from highly trained, caring therapy professionals with a written physician's prescription. The physical and/or occupational therapists custom design an aquatic exercise program and instructs the patient how to maintain their gains through transitioning to the community aquatic program once skilled therapy is no longer necessary. Individuals with these conditions, among others, can benefit from aquatic therapy:
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Pain
- Orthopedic conditions including joint replacements, trauma
- Back injury and/or surgery
- Neurological Disorders
- Brain Injury
- Stroke
- Spinal Cord Injury