Intermediate

Evidence based hydrotherapy for various patient polulations.

EWAC Medical presents the state-of-science in aquatic therapy. Case related contents provide aquatic professionals with a comprehensive picture of current research that supports clinical reasoning and decision-making, problem solving and goal setting in aquatic therapy. The basis is “learning-by-reasoning-and-doing” or “think-pair-share” in order to develop skills of the aquatic professional.

These courses are certification courses (with examination) and will give in-depth training in order to apply the state-of-art aquatic therapy in:

– pediatrics,
– neurology
– musculoskeletal disorders and sports rehabilitation,
– cardio-respiratory disorders
– metabolic disorders

Every topic will encompass 55 academic contact hours of classroom and pool training, accompanied by 20 hours of self-tuition (preparatory and additional).

The intervention tactics (methods) will be based on Halliwick®-Aquatic Therapy, The Bad Ragaz Ring Method®, Clinical Ai Chi®,, Aqua-T-Relax and AT-Fit, in cooperation with the Association IATF in Valens, Switzerland.
These methods will be customized to the topics presented in each course.

The core of each course will be one or several case histories, highlighting the translation from research evidence to every day clinical practice, using EWAC’s accommodation and equipment

Module contents in general: total hours

Topics that are integrated in the contents and have not been described specifically as competences, have been summarized underneath:

At the end of each course, participants will be able to apply the relevant physiological principles of
– relevant guidelines, recommendations, classifications, position statements or core sets
– patient monitoring techniques and screening for aquatic red flags

The competences related to the intervention tactics are Halliwick®-AT (HAT) for adult patients:

Competences:
At the completion of the course the participant will be able to:

– Describe the fluid mechanical and physiological principles of aquatic therapy
– Relate HAT to the concept of evidence based practice and to the International Classification of Functioning, disability and health (ICF)
– Find the relevant evidence at the internet and rate it’s quality
– Follow the elements of clinical reasoning being taught in the course
– Use features of motor control approaches during aquatic treatments
– Recognize equilibrium problems of able-bodied and disabled persons
– Handle people in water effectively, including entry and exit
– Apply HAT with systematic desensitization principles
– Apply the HAT exercises and activities for neuro-musculoskeletal patient populations at all levels of ICF
– Design treatments programs for neuro-musculoskeletal patients
– Apply HAT in fall prevention
– Apply HAT as a massed / distributed therapy application
– Use the Halliwick®-ICF assessment in water
– Use proper modes for (balance) assessment on land
– Connect HAT with land based treatment concepts

Halliwick®-AT pediatric course (in general with focus on CP)

Competences:
At the completion of the course the participant will be able to:
– Describe the fluid mechanical and physiological principles of HAT
– Relate HAT to the concept of evidence based practice and to the ICF-Children and Youth core set
– Relate HAT to the relevant classifications (GFMCS, SCPE, DSM-V)
– Find the relevant evidence at the internet and rate it’s quality
– Use features of the motor control Neuro Group Selection Theory
– Integrate HAT and the family centered approach
– Recognize equilibrium problems of able-bodied and disabled children
– Handle persons in water effectively, including entry and exit
– Apply HAT from a sensory modulation perspective
– Apply HAT with appropriate didactic principles
– Teach with learning through games (as a non-linear pedagogy)
– Apply the HAT exercises and activities for neuro-musculoskeletal patient populations at all levels of ICF-CY
– Follow the elements of clinical reasoning being taught in the course
– Design treatments programs for the (neuro)pediatric population
– Use the Halliwick®-ICF and WOTA assessments in water
– Use proper modes for (balance) assessment on land
– Connect HAT with land based treatment concepts

The Bad Ragaz Ring Method®:

Competences:
At the completion of the course the participant will be able to:
– Use the original arm, trunk and leg patterns
– Relate the patterns to principles from PNF, functional kinetics, exercise physiology and fluid mechanics
– Use PNF techniques (e.g. hold/contract relax, combination of isotonics and dynamic reversals) in selected patterns
– Use principles of fine tuning and eccentric strengthening
– Apply the patterns to neuro-musculoskeletal patient populations

Combined for Clinical Ai Chi®, Aqua-T-Relax, AT-Fit

Competences:
At the completion of the AT-Fit course the participant will be able to:
– Present the principles of exercise physiology and neuro-endocrine metabolism involved
– Asses work intensity, e.g. using the Borg RPE scale
– Apply guidelines from e.g. the American College of Sports Medicine
– Set up a shallow water circuit training
– Teach simple deep water walking/ aquajogging
– Apply aquatic plyometric training
– Apply and adapt Aqua-T-Relax in a clinical setting
– Describe the effect of influencing connective tissue by Aqua-T-Relax and Clinical Ai Chi®
– Follow the basic Clincal Ai Chi® kata’s
– Adapt the kata’s into challenging variations
– Apply Clinical Ai Chi® in fall prevention

Included in all course will be passwords to additional internet resources as www.halliwicktherapy.org and www.badragazringmethod.org