Effects of aquatic interventions in children with neuromotor impairments: a syst

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Clin Rehabil. 2006 Nov;20(11):927-36.

Effects of aquatic interventions in children with neuromotor

impairments: a systematic review of the literature.

Getz M, Hutzler Y, Vermeer A.

The Kibuzzim College of Education and Dance, Tel Aviv, Israel.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of aquatic interventions in

children with neuromotor impairments.

DESIGN: A search of electronic databases that included MEDLINE,

PubMed, ERIC, PsychLit, PEDro, Sport Discus, CINAHL and Cochrane

between 1966 and January 2005 was conducted using the following

keywords: 'hydrotherapy', 'aquatic therapy', 'water

exercise', 'aquatics', 'adapted aquatics', 'aquatic exercise'

and 'swimming'. An additional resource, the Aquatic Therapy Research

Bibliography until 1999, was explored manually. Titles and abstracts

were assessed manually according to the following inclusion criteria:

(1) population (children with neuromotor or neuromuscular

impairments), (2) intervention (aquatic programme). Articles were

reviewed according to merit of design, population participants and

outcome measures with respect to International Classification of

Function and Disability terminology (changes in body function,

activity level and participation).

RESULTS: Eleven of the 173 articles that were retrieved met the

inclusion criteria: one randomized control trial, two quasi-

experimental studies, one cohort study, two case control studies and

five case reports. Seven articles reported improvement in body

functions, and seven articles reported improvement in activity level.

Two of the four articles that investigated outcome measures regarding

participation described positive effects while the findings of the

other two revealed no change. None of the articles reported negative

effects due to aquatic interventions.

CONCLUSION: According to this review, there is a substantial lack of

evidence-based research evaluating the specific effects of aquatic

interventions in this population.