/Educating about aquatic therapy; Audrey Collins makes a splash
Audrey Collins works with a wide variety of clients, and it adament about educating around the benefits and purpose of aquatic therapy. /Submitted

Educating about aquatic therapy; Audrey Collins makes a splash

By Emily Stonehouse

Audrey Collins has helped hundreds of people regain confidence when it comes to walking, healing, and quite simply, living day-to-day.

But the aquatic therapist based out of Gelert wants to change the mindset of working in water. “It’s not for everyone,” she said. “I think there is a misconception about what aquatic therapy is.”

Collins has over a decade of experience under her belt, with her specialization in aquatics taking shape after attending the Valense Clinic in Switzerland. She has worked with doctors and scientists out of hospitals across the country to study the effects of rehabilitation in the water, and has helped countless clients with physical, mental, and neurological challenges face their fears, all while achieving great functional gains.

“But it is more specific than people think,” she shared. “Sometimes, people are referred to me, and I may not be able to help them.” She noted that the programming could be beneficial to nearly everyone, but there may be limitations in place if a client’s health does not allow them to enter a therapeutic pool.

The water can create complications for some clients, and there are contraindications and precautions to keep in mind. One of these is based quite simply on the body’s response to being under the pressure of the water. Collins explained that when you enter a pool, the pressure increases around the body as a whole. This encourages the blood and fluids to begin circulating around the body, and the brain kickstarts a series of hormonal domino effects. For some with uncontrolled cardiac conditions, this could be dangerous.

For others, buoyancy, pressure, and turbulence can improve circulation, which could result in a reduction in muscle spasm and an increased range of motion.

Quite simply, aquatic therapy, like any form of rehabilitation, is not for everyone. “But, if it is used at the perfect timing,” noted Collins, “it will make some great gains.”

She has set out to change the narrative around aquatic therapy, and while it may not help a select few, there are others who would deeply benefit from the practices. Collins is trying to educate people on the differences. “I often find I am a last resort, just because there is not enough education around it,” she said.

Collins shared that one of the primary reasons she is so drawn to the water, is the removal of barriers that takes place once she is in the pool. “Being in the water brings a normalcy to movement,” she said. “It takes away that fear of falling and hurting yourself, and not having that fear can be freeing. This also feeds your mental health so much. It can make you feel like anything is possible.”

While Collins noted that the resource may not be for everyone, she believes that there is a level of education that needs to be encouraged, so that the folks who would directly benefit from aquatic rehabilitation can access the programming.

One of the ways that she is continuing her desire to educate, is by assisting with hosting the seventh annual international conference on evidence based aquatic therapy, slated for April 24 to 26 in Toronto. “I wanted to host it in Haliburton,” Collins chuckled, “but the logistics of bringing over 200 people here from all over the world was too much.”

The event has already drawn researchers from around the globe, including Australia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom, to name a few. “This scientific peer-reviewed conference is a mix of podium presentations, workshops, posters and pool sessions focused on the current state of the evidence in the practice of aquatic therapy,” noted the press release. All health professionals are welcome. Collins hopes that by joining like-minded people together during the conference, then the importance of the education and awareness around aquatic therapy can be clearly understood.

For more information on the upcoming conference, as well as any information around aquatic therapy, Collins can be reached at 705-457-6323. Out of her Gelert homebase, she also offers aqua yoga with Gail Holness, Aqua Fit with Meghan Cox, and physiotherapy with Jillian Mayhew. While rehabilitation programming may not be for everyone, there may be additional programs that can support the needs of the community.  “I am providing a modality that’s very unique in Haliburton County,” she said. “And I want to push it further, because it is not being used enough.”