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Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic Therapy Foundation Certification by ATACP®

This two day foundation and one day specialized Neurological course is meant to equip a physiotherapist with the knowledge and clinical reasoning skills necessary to work safely and unsupervised in a hydrotherapy pool.

Course Instructor

Course objective

Aim

To equip a physiotherapist with the knowledge and clinical reasoning skills necessary to work safely and unsupervised in a hydrotherapy pool.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the two day course the participant should be able to:

Sarah Wratten

Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Consultant and Aquatic Therapy Association for Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP) Accredited Tutor in Aquatic Therapy.

Sarah has over 27 years clinical experience working within the NHS, private sector and Ministry of Defence (MOD) specialising in aquatic therapy and musculoskeletal physiotherapy. She qualified as a physiotherapist with a BSc (Hons) from Brunel University London in 1997 and continued to work within London. Sarah has been actively involved with all aspects of running a hydrotherapy pool - clinical treatment through to the workings of the plant room, infection control and health and safety requirements.

In 2001 Sarah completed the Bath Hydrotherapy Course (a four-week in-house course with assessment). She went on to further her post graduate training in aquatic therapy by completing the two-week Valens Course in Switzerland in 2006 which included Ai Chi training. In 2008 Sarah gained her Masters in Manual Therapy (MMT) in Perth, Australia. She became the first UK Ai Chi International accredited trainer in 2017. Sarah was employed by the Ministry of Defense at DMRC Headley Court from 2009 until 2018 specializing in the treatment of complex trauma patients, including patients with multiple fractures and post orthopedic surgery, amputees, incomplete and complete spinal cord injuries, rheumatological conditions, low back pain and pain management patients. Sarah is now the Founder of Pinder Aquatic Physiotherapy.

Sarah has been training physiotherapists and assistants in aquatic therapy since 2001 initially under her maiden name Dowding. From 2006 she started tutoring for the Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP), former HACP, the Foundation Aquatic Therapy course (former Level One Hydrotherapy course) as well as tutoring specialized musculoskeletal Intermediate and Ai Chi courses. She has tutored courses in the UK and abroad including Copenhagen Denmark, Cape Town South Africa, Nanjing China, Bengaluru India, Cairo Egypt, Abu Dhabi UAE and Jordan. Her exposure to numerous hydrotherapy pools has provided her with a wealth of information she uses to consult on pool design and management.

In 2013 Sarah attended the 1st European Conference of Evidence Based Aquatic Therapy in Turkey. In 2014 she coordinated and presented at the first UK Aquatic Therapy Conference along with International speakers Prof Bruce Becker and Dr Garry Killgore. In 2017 Sarah attended the Sanibel, Florida Aquatic Therapy Conference with Jun Kunno (Ai Chi originator) presenting becoming further accredited as an International Trainer. In 2018 Sarah spoke at the International Conference of Evidence Based Aquatic Therapy in Las Vegas. In 2019 she co-organized the UK Aquatic Therapy Conference Wave of Research Leading the Way Forward and presented current research in Ai Chi. Sarah is co-chair of the 2024 International Conference of Evidence Based Aquatic Therapy in Winchester, UK.

Course Overview

Aim

To equip a physiotherapist with the knowledge and clinical reasoning skills necessary to work safely and unsupervised in a hydrotherapy pool.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the two day course the participant should be able to:

Session 1

Discuss the relevant physical properties of water.
Relate these properties to therapeutic techniques in the water.
Relate 1 and 2 both to the treatment of patients, and to the changes that specific conditions may cause to a person’s “Physical Properties.”
Demonstrate an understanding of the physical properties of water to strengthening techniques in the pool.
Appreciate and experience the effects of buoyancy, turbulence and the metacenter on a body in water.

Session 2

Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of immersion on the physiology of the human body.
Relate these changes to the safe screening of patients prior to Aquatic therapy.
Evaluate the effectiveness of aquatic therapy in a variety of clinical settings.
Demonstrate the ability to confidently use various flotation devices regarding patient handling.
Demonstrate the ability to utilize the physical properties of water to improve range of movement for patients with stiff joints or tight soft tissues.
Demonstrate safe therapeutic handing of a patent in water.

Session 3

Demonstrate an understanding of the main Health and Safety legislation, and its implications on running an aquatic therapy service
Demonstrate an understanding of water disinfection related to the pool environment.
Relate the above to maintaining a safe environment for staff and users including the ability to risk assess.
Demonstrate treatment skills including Relaxation, Stabilization, and Balance work.
Relate these skills to the management of a variety of patient problems.

Session 4

Demonstrate clinical reasoning skills in devising a treatment program for patients with a variety of problems.
Demonstrate an appropriate selection of treatment techniques for these patients.

Course Agenda