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WATER WALKING

Improve gait, lower limb strength, and functional mobility for children and adolescents with disabilities using the support and resistance of water.

Focus Lower Body
Environment Hydrotherapy pool or leisure pool with shallow to chest-deep water and handrail or wall access
Pool Depth Fully Anchored
Supervision Required
Equipment None

How to Perform

  1. Stand in chest-to-waist deep water with feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed by the sides.
  2. Shift body weight evenly through both feet and gently engage the core to maintain an upright trunk.
  3. Begin walking forward with a natural heel-to-toe pattern, allowing arms to swing comfortably in the water.
  4. Take slow, controlled steps, lifting the feet clear of the pool floor and avoiding excessive trunk lean.
  5. Turn safely at the pool wall and continue walking for the prescribed distance or time.

Key Execution Cues

Remember: Keep trunk tall, eyes forward, and steps smooth; encourage even stride length on both sides and quiet, controlled foot contact with the pool floor.

Safety & Precautions

Important: Use caution with uncontrolled seizures, open wounds, or severe cardiorespiratory instability; monitor closely in children with balance or behavioral challenges.

Additional Safety Notes: Stay in a comfortable depth where feet remain fully in contact with the pool bottom, remain within arm’s reach of the therapist or caregiver if needed, and use the pool wall for support when turning.

Exercise Modifications

Make it Harder (Progressions)

Increase walking speed or duration, add directional changes such as sideways or backward walking, or introduce gentle arm movements to increase resistance.

Make it Easier (Regressions)

Reduce walking distance and speed, allow hand support on the wall or a caregiver, or decrease water depth to increase stability.

Audience

Child

Therapeutic Notes

Pediatric gait training and lower limb mobility rehabilitation in water

Clinical Conditions

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Developmental Delay
  • Neuromuscular Disorders

Modality

  • Individual
  • Group

Benefits

Enhanced walking endurance, Improved lower limb strength, Better balance and postural control, Reduced joint impact during gait practice

Muscles Worked

  • quadriceps
  • hamstrings
  • glutes
  • calves
  • core

Equipment Needed

No equipment required - just you and the water!

When to Use

  • Warm-up
  • Main set

Exercise Tags

gait training rehab low-impact children disabilities Lower Body

Attribution

Source TypePDF
Original AuthorAnna Ogonowska-Slodownik et al.
ContributorAI Extraction Agent
PublicationAquatic Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Scoping Review
LicenseCC BY 4.0
Credit RequiredYes
Date Created2025-11-30
Last Modified2025-11-30
Original URLhttps://doi.org/10.3390/children11111404

External Source

TypePDF
URLhttps://doi.org/10.3390/children11111404
Additional InfoLevel 2 variant representing gentle aquatic exercise with full foot contact, consistent with water walking exercise types for children and adolescents with disabilities.