Aquatic Therapy Benefiting All Ages

Nine-year-old Marcus is a great little swimmer. But he’s not taking a dip just for fun. 

“I have a disease and swimming here helps me get stronger,” says Marcus.

Marcus has Duchenne, a form of Muscular Dystrophy that weakens the muscles. That’s why, once a week, Marcus comes to Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center’s Aquatic Therapy, located at the hospital’s Four West Medical Facility in Mishawaka.

“Aquatic Therapy is a nice medium for him as we can have him do a lot of swimming activities, a lot of ball activities and jumping to really work on those legs,” said Nancy Rupe-Cressy, an Occupational Therapist with SJRMC’s Pediatric Rehabilitation who has been working with Marcus for over two years. “It takes a lot of weight off the body and gives him a lot more freedom of movement so someone like Marcus can do a lot of things in the water for longer periods.”

SJRMC has offered Aquatic Therapy for over 15 years, and while about 15 children per week are currently enjoying this maritime treatment, it is not just for kids.

“We have a lot of adults who are taking advantage of our Aquatic Therapy for a lot of different situations,” said Rupe-Cressy. “This is ideal for arthritis patients, post operation or post stroke patients who are working on regaining their strength. The buoyancy just allows you to do a lot more without as much stress on the body.”

As for Marcus, he used the therapy to recently appear on the annual Labor Day MDA Telethon as the region’s Goodwill Ambassador.

“That was fun,” Marcus said. “Almost as much fun as the water!”

Anyone interested in SJRMC’s Aquatic Therapy should call the facility directly at (574) 252-0333. SJRMC’s Four West Medical Facility is located at 420 West Fourth Street in Mishawaka. Aquatic Therapy is in Suite 200.