Mercoledì 21 Luglio 2010
THERMAL MEDICINE AND HYDROKINESIS THERAPY FOR RHEUMATIC PATH
THERMAL MEDICINE AND HYDROKINESIS THERAPY FOR RHEUMATIC PATHOLOGIES
In diseases of the locomotor system, and especially in osteoarticular and muscular diseases commonly associated with so-called rheumatic pathologies, there is always a phase in which appropriate balnotherapy treatments with suitable thermal waters can achieve very important results in the clinical evolution of the disease.
In this case we can pursue:
1) preventive purposes through an appropriate prophylaxis at the onset of the rheumatic pathology, prevention of relapses and possible elimination of the causes;
2) curative purposes aiming at slowing down the evolution of the pathology, reduction of articular, muscular and functional damages, clinical recovery if possible;
3) preparation for orthopaedic surgery and postoperative phases of these operations can benefit from an appropriate hydrothermal treatment.
In the treatment of these diseases, anadermic applications are to be preferred: mud, caves, stoves, but above all balneotherapy with thermal bromine and iodine salts waters.
It is important to remember how, especially in these pathologies, rehabilitative and re-educative treatments can be a useful complement to thermal balneotherapy also thanks to the thermal environment that is the most suitable to set up and begin an appropriate rehabilitative physiokinesistherapic therapy but most of all for hydrokinesis therapy sessions.
We should say that thermal treatments, especially for these diseases, should last long enough, at least two weeks, on order to achieve concrete and lasting results.
As far as heat supply is concerned, we would like to underline that mud matured in thermal waters represents an extraordinary effective treatment if there are no inflammations in progress. In latest years besides the importance of the association of physical and re-educative therapy with thermal therapy, the great value of hydrokinesis therapy has also been recognised.
This therapy joins the therapeutic effects of rehabilitation with the indirect benefits deriving from the environment in which it takes place (usually equipped thermal pools): seriousness reduction, exteroceptive stimulations, possibility of hydro massage and physical-chemical properties of the water (temperature, density, mineral content).
In practice, for some pathologies, such as results of fractures, it is possible to improve the articularity of musculo-skeletal segments that have to be re-educated and to improve muscle tropism and tone with a lower number of sessions.
Prof. Giorgio Varacca
Specialist in Orthopaedic Physiokinesis therapy and Medical Hydrology
