A balneotherapy session will be built according to the pathology, the patient’s lesions and the objectives set by the physiotherapist and the patient.
What is balneotherapy ?
Balneotherapy is all the care and treatment provided to the patient in a fresh water bath. This method is favorable to reduce the stress on the joints and therefore benefits people suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatism, fractures and pre-post surgery. The archimedean thrust allows patients suffering from muscular lesions and chronic pathologies to carry out the exercises gently without increasing the pain. The benefits of hot water help patients to better tolerate the exercises and relax their muscles.
How does a balneotherapy session work ?
Rehabilitation sessions in balneotherapy are reimbursed by social security, so the patient must provide a prescription issued by the doctor stipulating that balneotherapy is to be used.
What do we do in session ?
The sessions are personalized and adapted according to the pathologies, age, pain and capacities of each person.
Several approaches are possible, we can strengthen muscles, work on joint mobility/stability, stimulate cardio-respiratory capacities (aquabiking, aquajump), improve blood circulation and venous return and relax painful areas. The objectives will be determined during an initial assessment with the physiotherapist.
For whom ?
Balneotherapy is for everyone, non-swimmers, pregnant women, athletes, people with disabilities, children and many pathologies (pre- and post-surgical, muscle injuries, rheumatism, fibromyalgia, following cancers, etc.).
The benefits of balneotherapy rehabilitation
- Stimulates blood circulation and venous return
- Draining and relaxing effect on the body
- Promotes muscle strengthening
- Analgesic and relaxing effect
- Improves cardio respiratory capacity
- Suitable for gradual re-loading before and after surgery
- Reduces joint pain
- Feeling of well being
- Increases resistance to effort
- Improves exercise tolerance in ailing or sedentary patients
Some studies :
In patients suffering from gonarthrosis, balneotherapy improves the living conditions of the patients, it could be observed a reduction of the pain during walking, so the patients could walk longer without pain.
In patients suffering from the disease “fibromyalgia“, balneotherapy would be a good compromise to tolerate exercises that could be painful in the dry. Indeed, water reduces the muscular, ligamentary and bony tensions that gravity exerts on our body. In addition, warm water has an analgesic, relaxing and wellness effect on the patient.
For patients suffering from venous affections (varicose veins, venous symptoms) or chronic lymphatic affections (oedema, primary and secondary lymmoedema), water increases the muscular trophism, drains and improves the blood circulation as well as the venous return of the members. After several sessions of balneotherapy rehabilitation, patients observe a reduction in their symptoms: sensation of lighter legs thanks to the hydrostatic pressure of the water on the body and a reduction in edema.
Balneotherapy is also an interesting method for athletes undergoing rehabilitation following surgery on the musculoskeletal system, such as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Indeed, the use of balneotherapy is put forward within the framework of the progressive re-loading of the ACL, allowing us to ensure and increase the loads progressively. Thanks to this method, we can start walking without canes, muscle strengthening and underwater instability exercises more quickly.
In patients with limited cardiorespiratory capacity due to COVID, sedentary lifestyle, COPD, etc., exercises in balneotherapy are better tolerated and appreciated. The exercises aim to improve endurance, resistance to effort, breath and muscle strength more gradually.