Dry hydromassage tables are currently the hot new treatment for a wide range of injuries – with a heating element to warm-up muscles for assisted adjustments
As your practice expands, you may be looking for ways to be more efficient with that time while your patients wait to see you.
One of the more common ways to do this is by adding an automated massage or roller table to your practice.1 A 10-minute session on one of these tables for your patients, prior to seeing you, can help relax their muscles and make it easier for you to perform adjustments, without causing undue discomfort. It can also keep the flow of patients moving from your waiting room, to the automated table, to your exam room.1
While a roller table can certainly be a good addition for your practice, you may be looking for something that may provide a wider range of therapeutic options. If this is the case, you may to take a closer look at the current trend of dry hydrotherapy tables.
Benefits of dry hydromassage
In many ways, dry hydromassage works along the same principles as standard hydrotherapy, such as a whirlpool.2 In essence, high-pressure jets of warm water work to relax the muscles, decrease pain, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation. The main difference with dry hydrotherapy, as the name implies, is that there is a barrier between the jets of water and the patient.
A dry hydromassage table has a flexible waterproof lining underneath the tabletop, similar to a water bed. This keeps the patient dry, yet still will provide the benefits of high-pressure jets.2 Patients will only need to remove their shoes before undergoing a dry hydromassage treatment session. Water temperature and jet speed, power, and location can be adjusted.2
Hydromassage research
An abstract in the January 1996 issue of Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy summarized a study comparing dry hydromassage treatment to no treatment on cervical, thoracic, and lumbar range of motion for 12 healthy female volunteers.3
Subjects were randomized into either a treatment or a control group. Trunk range of motion was measured for all study subjects, and taken again after 20 minutes of dry hydrotherapy in the supine position for the treatment group.3 Although there were increases in range of motion after one treatment for those subjects who underwent dry hydrotherapy, those in the control group saw no significant improvement.
The researchers concluded: “Further research assessing the influence of single and multiple treatments using these increasingly popular modalities as non-surgical rehabilitation options for patients with acute pain or chronic back pain, due to traumatic or overuse injuries or congenital abnormalities, is warranted.”3
Make your practice stand out
If you are trying to decide between a roller table and a dry hydrotherapy table, consider how you want your practice to stand out. While it is true that a roller table will help make your practice more efficient, in terms of moving patients through, having one will not necessarily make your practice stand out.
These days, roller tables are a relatively common piece of equipment in a DC’s office. On the other hand, dry hydromassage tables are currently the hot new treatment for a wide range of injuries – with a heating element to warm-up muscles for assisted adjustments. Having one of these tables in your office will certainly make your practice look to be on the cutting edge.
References
- Beychok T. Benefits of a chiropractic roller table for your practice. Chiropractic Economics. Sept. 11, 2019.
- Wikipedia. Dry-water hydro massage. Updated Aug. 6, 2019. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019.
- Graetzer DG, Kovacich M, Richter ST. Effectiveness of two back modalities in enhancing cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral range of motion in healthy females. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. January 1996;23(1).
