North Star Aquatic Therapy

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Description

We are very excited to sponsor and invite Johan Lambeck to our campus to offer the first Pediatric course in Water Specific Therapy/Halliwick in the United States in over 10 years!   Water Specific Therapy (WST) covers all essential neuromusculoskeletal aquatic therapy goals including postural control, one of the most important concepts in rehabilitation. WST ranges from muscle strengthening, increasing range of motion, decreasing pain to core stability, agility, fall prevention and perturbation training. WST can be used to evoke subtle muscle contractions that are unable to be generated on land.  It is an aquatic therapy based on  elements of the Halliwick 10 point-program swimming method. WST focuses on  exercises that use the fluid-mechanical properties of water such as flow conditions (turbulence), waves of transmission and metacentric effects (using the change of gravity and buoyancy induced torques).  WST was developed by a team of physiotherapists in Switzerland in the early seventies, supporting James McMillan in his efforts to develop Halliwick towards a “Halliwick-Therapy”. The development still continues, following contemporary issues in health care. Examples are executive functions, muscle power training, enhancing facial resilience or modifying neuroinflammation. WST = motor learning in water to be used on land, whereas Halliwick = motor learning in water to be used in water.

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Halliwick
Halliwick originally is a swimming concept, developed by the late engineer in fluidmechanics James McMillan MBE. In 1949, he and his wife started to include disabled girls from the Halliwick-school in London in sessions of the swimming club in which he acted as a volunteer swimming coach. It was obvious that the biggest problems the girls encountered was a lack of postural control. He knew how to use fluidmechanics in order to ease the problem and progressively train the girls. The approach soon became more structured and developed into the famous Ten-Point-Program. Main focus is teaching rotational control: the practical approach to postural problems in 3 dimensions around the 3 axes (sagittal, transversal and longitudinal) and a combination (diagonal).  The classroom teacher observed changes within a few weeks: better trunk-, head- and mouth control as well as an increased self-esteem. The swimming method seemed to have therapeutic potential, especially because all rotation controls are related to trunk (core) activity, also a key focus for postural control on land. Halliwick is currently practiced all over the world. Especially children with neuromotor deficits can benefit enormously, given the many publications in the area. The Ten-Points are a basis for other activities like adapted swimming, a specific swimming competition, game circuits or scuba diving. Halliwick games are a perfect basis for aquatic gamification (play + exercise at the same time).

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Learning Objectives

Upon Completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate various handling techniques of intervention tactics based on Water SpecificTherapy-Halliwick

2. Describe the evidence for Pediatric Aquatic Therapy

3. Follow a clinical reasoning procedure for children with Cerebral Palsy

4. Construct exercises for various domains of hand-arm function

5. Apply gamification principles in classical Hallick game and work with WOTA rating scale

6. Design endurance training, for example GFMCS II and GFMCS III

7. Apply principles to decrease fascial stiffness​​​

Continuing Education Notice
Aquatic Therapy University / ATU Aquatic Therapy Seminars provides continuing education for licensed rehabilitation professionals. Course acceptance is determined by individual state licensing boards. ATU maintains approvals where required and provides documentation for licensee reporting in states that use audit-based review. Participants are responsible for verifying continuing education requirements with their licensing board. Approvals and state acceptance information are available at:

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Continuing Education Approval for ATU Courses

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Target Audience​

This course is within the scope of practice of the PT, PTA, OT, COTA and SLP working in aquatic therapy. The course facilitates clinical decision making and team building. While the primary audience for the course is stated above, other rehabilitation providers, such as the recreational therapist and athletic trainer, who count the therapeutic procedure aquatic therapy within their scope of practice will find it beneficial.

Applicability for PTs/PTAs

CPT Code 97113 (Aquatic Therapy) is a designated code for the technique of aquatic therapy. Aquatic therapy is a recognized procedure by the American Medical Association, the American Physical Therapy Association and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Physical therapists and assistants are recognized providers of aquatic therapy in all states and by most payers, including Medicare and Medicaid. The provision of aquatic therapy is not entry-level knowledge; providers need specialized training to practice with this population in the unique environment provided by a therapy pool. This course is within the scope of practice of the Physical Therapist and PTA working in aquatic therapy (CPT code 97113). 

Applicability for OTs/OTAs

CPT Code 97113 (Aquatic Therapy) is a designated code for the technique of aquatic therapy. Aquatic therapy is a recognized procedure by the American Medical Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Occupational therapists and assistants are recognized providers of aquatic therapy in all states and by most payers, including Medicare and Medicaid.The provision of aquatic therapy is not entry-level knowledge; providers need specialized training to practice with this population in the unique environment provided by a therapy pool. Rehabilitation providers, such as the Occupational Therapist and Assistant, who count the therapeutic procedure aquatic therapy within their scope of practice will find the training beneficial.

Applicability for Other Providers

CPT Code 97113 (Aquatic Therapy) is a designated code for the technique of aquatic therapy. Aquatic therapy is a recognized procedure by the American Medical Association, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and many professional associations. Health care providers who are permitted to work hands-on with patients/client and who count aquatic therapy within their scope of practice will find the training beneficial.