Hydrotherapy for Spinal Cord Injury
Hydrotherapy for Spinal Cord Injury in Brisbane
A spinal cord injury changes your relationship with your body in ways that are difficult to describe. At Hydrotherapy Studio in Underwood, physiotherapist Ben Strachan provides one-on-one aquatic rehabilitation for people living with paraplegia, tetraplegia, and incomplete spinal cord injuries. Our facility is fully accessible with hoist entry into the pool — no matter your mobility level, we can get you into the water safely and work on what matters most to you.
In water, your body can do more than you think
How Spinal Cord Injury Affects Daily Life
Depending on the level and completeness of your injury, a spinal cord injury can mean partial or complete loss of movement and sensation below the injury site. Muscle wasting, spasticity, pressure injury risk, chronic pain, and reduced independence are daily realities. Many traditional rehabilitation environments are not fully accessible, and the physical demands of land-based exercise can feel overwhelming when gravity works against weakened or paralysed muscles. The emotional toll — grief, frustration, and the challenge of adapting to a new body — is just as significant as the physical limitations.
Fully accessible — hoist, ramp, and one-on-one care
How Hydrotherapy Helps with Spinal Cord Injury
Water changes the rules. Buoyancy reduces the effect of gravity, allowing you to move limbs and practise movements that are impossible on land. For incomplete injuries, this gravity-reduced environment can help activate residual neural pathways and promote neuroplasticity. Warm water at 34°C reduces spasticity, allowing muscles to relax and move through greater ranges. Hydrostatic pressure supports circulation and can help manage oedema. Our pool is fully accessible with a hoist that transfers you directly into the water — Ben is with you the entire time, designing exercises around your specific level of function, your goals, and your comfort. Whether you are working on upper limb strength, trunk stability, or simply experiencing the freedom of movement that water provides, every session is tailored to you.
Rehabilitation that meets you where you are
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your first session begins with a thorough assessment of your function, mobility, and goals. Ben will design a hydrotherapy program matched to your level of injury and current abilities — working on strength, balance, and functional movement in the water. The pool environment reduces the physical demands of gravity, allowing movements that may not be possible on land. You’ll leave with a laminated copy of your program.
Appointments available now — book online in minutes
Watch: Hydrotherapy for Spinal Cord Injury
See how our fully accessible facility and one-on-one aquatic physiotherapy helps people with spinal cord injuries move, strengthen, and recover at Hydrotherapy Studio.