Aquatic Rehabilitation

Aquatic Rehabilitation

Ruoti RG, Morris DM, Cole AJ, eds. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1997, hardcover, 417 pp, illus, $49. The purpose of this book is to provide a detailed resource on aquatic rehabilitation for a variety of health care professionals. The text is divided into 4 major parts: basic foundations of aquatic rehabilitation, aquatic treatment techniques, aquatic rehabilitation philosophies, and information for designing an aquatic program. Twenty aquatic rehabilitation professionals from a variety of disciplines contributed their expertise to the text. Illustrations and case studies are interspersed throughout the text, providing visual detail and describing the practical application of the material presented. The book begins by providing a historical overview of aquatic rehabilitation. The use of water as a healing medium and the influence of Europe on aquatic rehabilitation in the United States is discussed. A chapter is dedicated to the physical principles that govern the behavior of water, and additional chapters cover the physiological effects of immersion at rest and during exercise. Descriptions of terms that are common to aquatic rehabilitation, such as buoyancy and refraction, are illustrated by clinical examples to assist readers in comprehending and applying the material.

Section 2 of the book focuses on the...