Aquatic Therapy Home Program Instructions

Aquatic Therapy Home Program

(Write in second person, active voice, short sentences. Use headings and bullets. Avoid long paragraphs. Never show raw placeholders to the patient. If any required safety detail is unknown, include a conservative safety statement instead of a placeholder. Only include exercises the patient practiced in clinic. Do not infer conditions, supervision needs, or swimming ability.)

Patient name: [Patient name]

Date: [Date]

Therapist: [Therapist name], [Clinic phone]

For emergencies, call 911.

Program at a Glance

(If your system supports it, render the following bullets inside a clear, bordered box for quick reference.)

• [One-sentence purpose tied to functional goals]
• Schedule: [Frequency] days per week, [Duration] minutes per session.
• Intensity: Aim for [Talk Test description and/or RPE 0–10 target]. Pain limit: [Established pain threshold / "a level that returns to normal by the next day"].
• Top safety rules:
  • Follow pool rules and use non-slip footwear.
  • Do not enter the pool with diarrhea or uncovered open wounds.
  • [Supervision requirement if documented / "If you are unsure whether it is safe for you to be in the pool alone, contact our clinic before starting."]
• If symptoms occur: Stop. Hold the wall. Breathe. Exit the pool if needed. Sit and hydrate. If severe or not improving, call 911. Otherwise, contact the clinic.

Before Each Session

Do NOT do the pool program today if…

• Do not exercise with a fever or vomiting.
• Do not enter the pool with diarrhea.
• Do not enter with open wounds unless fully covered by a waterproof dressing.
• Do not enter with a new rash or any skin infection.
• Do not exercise if you have any new or uncontrolled symptom that makes water unsafe.
• [Patient-specific aquatic restrictions] (Only include if explicitly documented, e.g., no deep water, avoid breath-holding, needs 1:1 supervision. Omit this line entirely if none reviewed.)

Your Pool Session

Warm-up (5–10 min): Move easily in the water. Walk forward and backward. Swing your arms gently. Raise your heart rate slowly. Reduce stiffness.

Exercises

(Include only exercises practiced in clinic. Group rows by goal category if helpful. If exercise details are unavailable, omit the table and use the fallback line instead.)

Exercise Name	Setup/Dose	Key Cues
[Exercise name]	[Water depth, sets/reps or time]	[1–3 short form or effort cues]
(Repeat rows as needed for each exercise. Insert a bold goal-category label row if grouping exercises, e.g., "Balance exercises:" in a merged cell.)

Fallback if exercise details unavailable: Perform the exercises you practiced with your therapist. Call the clinic if you need a reminder.

Cool-down (5–10 min): Move at an easy pace. Slow down gradually. Add gentle stretches as prescribed.

Intensity reminder: Aim for moderate effort—you can talk but not sing. Keep pain at or below [established pain threshold / "a level that returns to normal by the next day"].

When to Stop and Get Help

Call 911 now:

• Chest pressure or pain
• Pain spreading to jaw, arm, or back
• Severe trouble breathing not improving with rest
• Fainting, near-fainting, or new confusion
• Signs of stroke (face droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty)

Stop and contact your therapist soon:

• New or worsening swelling
• Increasing pain that does not settle with rest
• New numbness or weakness
• Wound irritation or skin reaction after pool exposure
• Inability to recover by the next day even after lowering intensity

Stop, rest, and modify next time:

• Mild dizziness that resolves after sitting and hydrating
• Muscle soreness that resolves within 24–48 hours

Contact and Follow-up

• Clinic phone: [Clinic phone]
• Best hours to call: [Hours]
• Patient portal: [Portal link or instructions] (Include if available.)
• Next appointment: [Date/time / "to be scheduled"]