Discover how pool depth changes buoyancy, loading, and resistance in aquatic therapy. Includes depth-to-body-weight chart, gait training recommendations, and research-backed guidelines for every rehab goal. Water Depth Isn’t a Mood — It’s a Dosage When a patient steps into water, buoyancy reduces body weight in a perfectly predictable way. According to Harrison et al., 2013 and the Academy of Aquatic Physical Therapy ( AquaticPT.org ), these are the approximate offloading per

Kiki Dickinson, PT, PAqI , has received the Judy Cirullo Award for Exceptional Contribution to the Area of Aquatic Physical Therapy. This award recognizes consistent promotion of aquatic physical therapy through service and clinical practice. Join us in celebrating as the APTA honors her contributions.   From Everyone at ATU, Congratulations, Kiki! Come and take a ATU class with the APTA's newest Judy Cirullo Award recipient! Check out her online webinars: OR Come to a live c

Byeline: Johan Lambeck Every two to three years, aquatic therapy professionals from around the world gather to exchange knowledge, sharpen clinical skills, and explore new frontiers in evidence-based practice. In 2026, this global journey arrives in  Toronto, Canada , where the  International Congress on Evidence Based Aquatic Therapy (ICEBAT)  will be held from  April 24–26 . As the next chapter in a rich tradition stretching across Turkey, Belgium, Mexico, India, the United

Live Webinar | November 14 | 12–2 PM ET Instructor: Andrea Salzman, MS, PT A growing body of research is reshaping how rehabilitation specialists view aquatic therapy following total knee arthroplasty. Multiple recent studies show that while aquatic therapy within the first week after surgery can safely improve mobility and strength, many clinicians still delay pool therapy until two weeks post-op—mostly due to outdated infection concerns and inconsistent wound-care protocol

Dr. Kristen Kilroy PT, DPT  is a physical therapist specializing in pediatric aquatic physical therapy. She helps kids with all different injuries and diagnoses achieve their goals through hard work disguised as fun. This was the inspiration behind  Henry Goes to Aquatic Physical Therapy —physical therapy should be fun! Dr. Kristen Kilroy PT, DPT After growing up in Pennsylvania, Kristen moved to Virginia to attend Marymount University, where she was on the swim team, for her

Byeline: Johan Lambeck, www.halliwick.eu Clinical Ai Chi (CAC) is the therapeutic application of regular Ai Chi, which has proven to have beneficial effects on, e.g., postural control and a decreased risk of falling. Regular Ai Chi has proven to be effective for persons with various diseases, like, e.g., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke, or fibromyalgia. In 2021, Dunlap, Lambeck, Ku, and Gobert published a scoping review in the Journal of Aquatic Physical Therapy. Mode

The International Conference on Evidence-Based Aquatic Therapy (ICEBAT) takes place around the world every two years. Aquatic Therapy University is pleased to share information about your next opportunity to attend. The next ICEBAT2026 will be held in Toronto, Canada, hosted by Canadian Aquatic Rehab and the Association of International Aquatic Therapy Faculty (IATF). It is a scientific, peer-reviewed conference offering a mix of podium presentations, workshops, posters an

Byline: Johan Lambeck Senior Lecturer, Association IATF, Switzerland This is the third and last blog about the Bad Ragaz Ring Method, in...

Byline: Johan Lambeck Senior Lecturer, Association IATF, Switzerland In my previous blog, I concluded with this clinical consideration:...

Byline: Johan Lambeck   In a small series of blogs about the BRRM, I will describe characteristics, starting with  a summary of the...

Question: My hospital is asking me to justify the cost of aquatic therapy for pediatrics in the face of rising maintenance costs. Help! Answer: There are hundreds of well supported papers on the benefits of aquatic therapy performed by a therapist for peds patients. I am including just 10 examples below.  Aquatic therapy, performed by a PT or OT provider, has been shown to benefit various pediatric diagnoses in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Here are two meta-analyses

Byline Johan Lambeck Want to get your Halliwick training? Meet us in Sun City, Arizona from March 10-14th. I had the pleasure to learn Halliwick from James McMillan. I learned, organized courses and later also was allowed to co-teach with him during some 30 courses in Netherlands and Switzerland between 1982 and 1994. After 2 regular Halliwick courses, participants wanted to continue learning from him and he suggested to organize a course on “The logic of approach to exercise

Byline: Ailene Tisser and Cindy Freedman Discover the healing power of water: How Aquatic Therapy can improve the lives of children and...

As a physical therapist with extensive experience assisting numerous PT and OT students with their theses and capstone projects, I spend a lot of time looking at the literature. And, though we are getting better at it, aquatic therapy research remains in need of significant refocusing. So what areas should we spend our research time on? What are the Best Aquatic Therapy Research Ideas? The study by Luo, L., Wang, X., & Song, N. (2021), titled "Review and Prospect of Internati

Who says the pool rules? SCIENCE says the pool rules! Science in the house!! Top 8 Reasons Why Water Works for the TKR: 1. Improved Functional Outcomes : Aquatic therapy has been shown to significantly improve functional outcomes, such as chair-stand performance and overall physical function, in patients undergoing TKR. [1] 2. Pain Reduction : Aquatic therapy effectively reduces knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis, which can be beneficial for TKR patients both p

The Impact of Aquatic Therapy on Psychosocial Health and Well-Being is the webinar for you, if you are looking for a more in depth course! Aquatic therapy offers several cognitive benefits, as supported by recent studies and systematic reviews: Enhancement of Cognitive Functions: Regular participation in aquatic exercises has been shown to improve various cognitive functions, including memory, attention, and executive functions. A systematic review highlighted that chronic

The top three compelling reasons for therapists to embrace aquatic therapy for cardiac compromised patients are: Improved Exercise Capacity : Aquatic therapy significantly boosts exercise capacity in cardiac patients. A systematic review by Adsett et al. (2015) revealed that aquatic exercise training enhances performance in the 6-minute walk test and peak power, matching outcomes of traditional land-based programs. It's an excellent alternative for those struggling with conve

Aquatic Joy: The perfect description for a recent Aquatic Therapy University training. Imagine a therapy tool that not only relieves pain and restores mobility but also lifts spirits, eases anxiety, and rekindles joy in your patients. What if this tool already exists—right in your pool? Aquatic therapy is emerging as the ultimate mind-body intervention, offering evidence-backed mental health benefits that go far beyond what we’ve traditionally expected from rehabilitation or

Aquatic Therapy University ( www.aquatictherapist.com ) offers this model letter of medical necessity for clinicians who desire to outline the benefits of aquatic therapy for a child with cerebral palsy, supported by recent evidence from the medical literature. You may use the letter as provided below for your own practices. Click here to learn more about our facility-wide Aquatic Therapy Essentials webinar [Date] [Insurance Company Name] [Insurance Company Address] [City, S

Aquatic Therapy University ( www.aquatictherapist.com ) offers this model letter of medical necessity for clinicians who desire to outline the benefits of aquatic therapy for a child with autism, supported by recent evidence from the medical literature. The evidence provided demonstrates significant improvements in social competence, quality of life, motor skills, and cognitive function in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who participate in aquatic therapy progra