Hydrotherapy treatment, also known as water treatment, helps improve, restore, and maintain general good health. Today, there are several scientists and physiotherapists who promote the use of hydrotherapy in different ways. Researchers have found new ways, geared by technological advancement, to change conventional hydrotherapy treatment and modernise it. Hydrotherapy has also shown great promise in improving balance, coordination, agility and strength in people. This can also help NDIS participants. Here’s the explanation of hydrotherapy’s benefits, its meaning and how you can access it under NDIS.
What Is Hydrotherapy? It is a form of treatment that involves exercising in water. It’s conducted by an exercise physiologist or a professional physiotherapist in a shallow pool of usually warm water, sometimes cold. The treatment can involve a one-on-one session with a trained physiotherapist, depending on an individual’s requirement or a group class session. The exercise treatment focuses on balancing and moving the upper limbs, lower limbs, and trunk to gain therapeutic benefits. Its growing popularity can be attributed to the holistic benefits it can bring.
NDIS Hydrotherapy
If you are an eligible participant and cannot come up with the funds for a hydrotherapy session, you can reach out for NDIS support. Hydrotherapy treatment under NDIS falls in the Capacity Building Support categories; Improved Daily Living or Improved Health and Wellbeing categories and would be provided by trained Allied Health professionals. Participants can access hydrotherapy under NDIS to help with conditions such as:- Neurological conditions
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Chronic pain
- Mobility limitations
Benefits Of Hydrotherapy Treatment
Hydrotherapy offers numerous benefits to people with a disability regardless of their gender, age or fitness level. Some of those benefits include the following:Improvement Of Muscle Strength And Elasticity
The main reason why hydrotherapy is conducted in water is because water offers a supportive environment that allows muscle tissues to expand. This allows you to stretch more efficiently with less pain than in a regular exercise room, as well as gain muscle strength. This can significantly improve overall fitness levels.Pain Management
Hydrotherapy treatment can help several skeletomuscular pain impacts because the water buoyancy lowers the impact on the joints while you move. The warm water allows you to relax, helping you perform core exercises you may struggle with on land. Through NDIS plan management, your service provider can help to understand if you can access hydrotherapy treatment in your current NDIS plan.Promotes Circulation In The Body
The water has hydrostatic pressure, which helps promote better circulation in the body. This means oxygen and vital nutrients can be successfully supplied to the muscles in the rest of the body to promote recovery and reduce swelling.It’s A Safe Exercise After Injury Or Trauma
People can suffer life-altering injuries from a trauma and find it hard to carry out day-to-day activities. For some people this is there reason for becoming a participant in the NDIS, In this case, NDIS hydrotherapy treatment can help maintain fitness and build strength in a supportive environment. This is particularly helpful if the affected area can’t bear weight or move.Improves Overall Fitness And Mental Health
Hydrotherapy treatment does more than improve mobility and building strength. It also provides a chance to get out, have fun and improve overall fitness and mental health.Funding And Coverage Under NDIS
To access hydrotherapy treatment under NDIS, you must have an NDIS plan, and your NDIS plan management team can help you understand if Hydrotherapy is funded by your plan. For you to obtain funding for hydrotherapy sessions, you have to go through these stages:- Assessment – where a healthcare professional will evaluate your functional impact of disability, goals, and suitability for hydrotherapy as a treatment option.
- Planning – after a successful assessment, you and your team develop a personalised NDIS plan outlining the supports and services required, which might include hydrotherapy.
- Funding Allocation – based on your NDIS plan, you get funding for therapy support such as hydrotherapy sessions which may cover several sessions per week, month, or year, depending on your needs and goals.
- Service Provider Selection – the participant, selects a suitable service provider. The benefit of NDIS plan management is that you can choose from registered and unregistered hydrotherapy providers
- Documentation And Reporting – the service provider must document your progress and outcomes achieved through the hydrotherapy sessions. The documentation helps assess the treatment’s effectiveness and helps plan for future decisions.
