For centuries, water has been used for rehabilitative purposes. Therapeutic pools are used in many modern rehab centers and are usually maintained at 88°F for active rehab. In 1999, Aquatic Massage Therapy was added to the services at Claudia Salzmann & Associates with a warm pool that is maintained at a neutral body temperature of 98°F for passive rehab. The pool is custom-made incorporating design and technology from some of the world’s leading aquatic facilities including Harbin Hot Springs in California and Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Aquatic Massage Therapy has evolved from our training in the WATSU and JAHARA aquatic techniques. It is a bio-mechanically safe, treatment-oriented and touch-appropriate modality developed within the scope of practice for Massage Therapists in Ontario. Receipts are provided for coverage by most extended health insurance plans.

Aquatic Massage Therapy is a passive therapeutic treatment which utilizes the low gravity provided by the hydrostatic pressure in a therapeutic pool. For many types of treatment, it is more suitable than land-based therapies because the body is supported and relaxed by the warm water without the pressure on the joints that is normally experienced on land. Therapeutic movements are gentle in the water and make use of a variety of techniques such as range-of-motion exercises, rehabilitation exercises and massage.

In an Aquatic Massage Therapy treatment, you are comfortably floated on your back with the therapist supporting you throughout the entire session. A pool-noodle is often used to support the legs while the therapist supports the face above the water. Most people experience the treatment as a slow, gentle, and timeless movement with a deep physical and psychological relaxation. It benefits anyone who loves both massage and water and is especially helpful with severe arthritis, post-surgical conditions, pregnancy, neurological conditions and anxiety-based conditions such as insomnia.

For more information see the case study we wrote for Rehab and Community Care Management and the slide show which shows Aquatic Massage Therapy in action.

Aquatic Massage Therapy treatments are 50 minutes and covered under extended health care benefit plans which include Massage Therapy coverage