Water Therapy Deemed "Life-Changing" for Patient with Hemophilia

Recently, we reached 23, 205 lives touched daily by HydroWorx technology. This is a story of one of those lives that has been impacted by the healing power of water and HydroWorx technology.

According to Cleveland Clinic, hemophilia is a rare hereditary bleeding disorder in which blood cannot clot normally at the site of a wound or injury. The disorder occurs because certain blood clotting factors are missing or do not work properly. There are two types of inherited hemophilia: 

1. Type A, which is the most common type, caused by a deficiency of one of the proteins that helps blood to forms clots.
2. Type B, is caused by a deficiency of factor IX, a different clotting protein.

Bobby Strom suffers from Hemophilia Type A. When Bobby was a child, he did not walk for 3 years due to severe joint bleeds. Jeff Kallberg, Physical Therapist at ACCUA, shares that individuals with hemophilia often develop arthritis in their joints caused by their lack of movement and activity. This is what led to Bobby’s use of aquatic therapy at ACCUA. ACCUA is an advanced fitness and rehabilitation facility in Savage, MN; also home to a HydroWorx 500 Series therapy pool with an integrated underwater treadmill.

Bobby had a lot of trouble with his knees and ankles as a result of his condition and arrived at his first session on crutches wearing an ankle brace. Bobby had never run before, let alone on an underwater treadmill. Jeff, at ACCUA, put together a specific protocol for Bobby, as they have special programs made for patients with hemophilia, and Bobby began to notice results after only a couple of sessions.

After less than a year of aquatic therapy, Bobby has began playing golf and incorporating some martial arts into his workouts. In less than a year, his level of fitness has increased greatly as a result of the work he’s done on the underwater treadmill. This type of therapy is the most suitable option for an individual with hemophilia because the water creates a soothing and therapeutic environment. Additionally, Bobby is unloading a lot of pressure on his joints which allows him to move better and move more freely and without pain thanks to water’s buoyancy. Bobby is only carrying between 20-30% of his body weight while walking on the underwater treadmill, based on the water depth. Lastly, water’s natural resistance allows for increased muscle strength without the risk of injury associated with strength-training on land.

“It [aquatic therapy]  has been life-changing. I got in there and started walking and running. I have never run in my life before; even as a little kid I would never run around. But then I got in there and started doing sprints and working out and it’s decreased my bleeds. I used to have one bleed a week now its maybe once a month that I have a bleed.” Bobby Strom says of his aquatic therapy experience at ACCUA

Watch Jeff take Bobby through an aquatic therapy session in the videos below: