These terms are often used interchangeably by different people and in different countries. In the United States, hydrotherapy usually refers to a hospital-based physical therapy program for patients with wounds or other acute injuries. In Europe and Australia, hydeotherapy is a term used to describe rehab exercises done in a heated pool.
Pool therapy was a term used by American physical therapists to describe exercise programs carried out in a pool. In the last 10 years, this term was changed to aquatic physical therapy to help distinguish it as a rehab program separate from group exercises.
Aquatic physical therapy begins with an individual exam and assessment. A specific treatment plan is developed for each patient based on past medical history, present illnesses and conditions, and any risk factors present.
The therapist uses his or her knowledge of hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, and the physiologic effects of immersion to prescribe exercises for each patient. Evidence from research studies is used to avoid exercises that are not beneficial and to include those that have the greatest potential to help the patient.
When evaluating an advertised pool program, it’s best to ask some questions about what is offered and who is providing the class. In the case of mild arthritis, a general pool program may be all that’s needed. For patients with more complex problems or more advanced arthritis, an aquatic physical therapy program may give the best results.