Aquatic Therapy in Patients With Adquired Brain Injury.

Aquatic Therapy in Patients With Adquired Brain Injury.

The aim of this study is to compare the relative effectiveness of three different treatment groups for improvements of postural control and for improvements of balance in these patients using aquatic therapy.

Forty-five patients diagnosed with acquired brain injury, with over one year's evolution and independent gait over a distance of 10 meters, with our without the use of an orthopedic aid, were selected and randomized in 3 groups. Dry land therapy group (DT group), which received sessions including exercises for gait, trunk mobility and exercises involving the upper and lower limbs; Experimental group (EG group) , which received Ai Chi aquatic therapy; Combined group (DT+EG group), which received alternate sessions of therapy on dry land and aquatic therapy with Ai Chi.

Inclusion Criteria:

• a diagnosis of acquired brain injury traumatic or non-traumatic, with over one year's evolution
• the ability to walk independently over a distance of more than 10 meters, with or without an orthopedic aid
• scores on the Mini- Mental State Examination > 24

Exclusion Criteria:

• cardiovascular and/or respiratory problems, a previous history of neurological pathologiesand the presence of coadjuvants to the acquired brain injury