INTRODUCTION/HISTORY OF HYDROTHERAPY

Prepared By: Floriza P. de Leon, PTRP

Water
Essential to life

Source of pleasure
Used by people in either pure form or in combination People like kings or peasants and physicians or

unqualified healers History and mythology are both liberally sprinkled with stories about the effects of water or the bath

Greek Mythology
Springs were supposed to have miraculous powers of

healing Ex: wishing fountains, fountain of youth

5th Century B.C

Transition from mysticism and cult to a rational use of

water for physical treatment When greek god Aeslepius was adopted by the Romans as the God of Healing

Hippocrates
Well-acquainted with drenching and rubbing

Declared the cold water warms and warm water cools

Decided the definite times when baths should be taken in

relation to time of eating Recommended warm water therapy for rheumaticism, jaundice, paralysis, and tumors, and cold packs were applied for dislocations and fractures

Bible
Number of cases of miraculous cures attributed to water

Naaman, who was a leper, was cleaned after washing

in the Jordan river New Testament mentioned a pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem, where a great multitude of the lame, blind and paralyzed waited to be healed. Baths were then used for the symbolic purpose of purification of body and spirit

Modern Age
Pilgrims continue to flock springs in the beliefs of a

miraculous recovery Not satisfied with prayers alone, but also drink the water, which is bottled, tapped, and also exported Ex: Our Lady of Lourdes in France

Bernard Baruch (1929)

After travelling through Europe and seeing the effects of

hydrotherapy on mental patients and drug addicts, introduced such treatment in neuropsychiatric institutions in the United States As a chairman of Saratoga Springs Commission, studied and surveyed the springs

Charles Lowman
Was the first to employ underwater exercises to spastic

patients inspired by the exercise therapy he witnessed in therapy Installed an outdoor pool at the Orthopedic Hospital in Los Angeles in 1924, and it is from this hospitals program that the present use of pool therapy in United States had its auspicious beginnings

Warm Springs, Georgia

Single incident gave the greatest impetus to pool therapy for

the paralytic A man victim of infantile paralysis (poliomyelitis) accidentally fell into the pool from wheelchair This motivated him to learn how to swim and to adopt underwater exercise as part of his treatment program Following year, he was on brace and crutches Witnessed by medical staff and fellow patients This victim found water exercises very helpful Helped to organize the medical supervision of this type of program Through his efforts and financial backing, Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, later to become National Infantile Paralysis Foundation

Ancient Times/Middle Ages/ Modern Age

Hydrotherapeutic interest was centered on the curative

use of water usually in the form of local applications, baths, shower, sprays and often combined with other procedures like massage or exercise

References
Hydrotherapy, Massage, Manipulation and Traction.

Tyrone Reyes. Pp. 25-27.