Two things people ask about together, because the people who most need hydrotherapy are often the people asking how to fund it.
What hydrotherapy actually does
Exercise in a heated pool, where the water changes the physics of movement in four useful ways.
Buoyancy reduces load. Immersed to the chest, you carry a fraction of your body weight. That lets someone exercise a joint that cannot yet tolerate standing on it, which is often the difference between starting rehabilitation now and waiting six weeks.
Water provides resistance. In every direction, proportional to how fast you move. That means strengthening without weights and without the jarring.
Warmth relaxes tissue. Heated water reduces muscle guarding and makes stiff joints easier to move.
Hydrostatic pressure helps swelling. The pressure of the water assists fluid return, which is useful for swollen limbs.
Who benefits most
People recovering from lower limb surgery, particularly hip and knee replacements. Osteoarthritis, especially where land based exercise is too painful to begin with. Chronic back pain. Neurological conditions where balance makes land exercise risky. Anyone significantly deconditioned who needs to start somewhere. And people who are overweight and struggling to exercise without joint pain.
It is a starting point rather than a destination for most people. The goal is generally to build enough capacity in the water to progress onto land.
What it is not
Not swimming laps, and not a spa. It is prescribed exercise done in water, supervised by a physiotherapist, with a programme specific to your condition.
How the funding works
Private health extras. Physiotherapy, including hydrotherapy and clinical Pilates delivered by a physiotherapist, is generally claimable on extras cover. The rebate depends on your policy and your annual limit.
Medicare. Through a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan arranged by your GP, you may be eligible for up to five allied health sessions per calendar year at a Medicare rebate. Your GP decides eligibility, so that conversation starts with them.
NDIS. Physiotherapy is fundable under an NDIS plan where it relates to your disability related goals, typically under Improved Daily Living. That covers physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and exercise programmes where they support your goals.
PhysioXtra is a registered NDIS provider, which means we can work with self managed, plan managed and agency managed participants.
How to use an NDIS plan for physiotherapy
Check your plan has Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living funding. Establish how it is managed, since that determines who pays us. Then book an assessment, where we set goals tied to your plan goals and put a service agreement in place stating what is delivered, how often and at what cost.
Progress is reported against those goals, which matters at plan review.
If you are unsure whether physiotherapy is fundable under your plan, call and ask. It is a short conversation and we do it often.
What we do
Hydrotherapy at our clinics with pool access, prescribed and supervised by physiotherapists, with a pathway onto land based programmes in our physio led gym when you are ready.
For the bigger picture, read The Complete Adelaide Guide to Getting Real Relief From Pain and Injury.
