Designs for therapy baths
PAINFUL JOINTS
Floating and playing in water provide exercise and therapy for many kinds of
physical disabilities—especially those in which movement is limited because of pain
or muscle spasms.
THE BEST ‘THERAPY POOL’
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For children who have the opportunity, bathing,
swimming, and playing in rivers and ponds with
other children is good—but only when the rivers
or pools are not dangerous and do not transmit
diseases.
This ‘therapy pool’ at PROJIMO has one large
deep tank for standing, swimming, and play. And
it has 2 narrow ‘water lanes’ at different depths
for children to learn to walk while supported by
water. Disabled and non-disabled children play
here together.
TUBS OR TANKS OF SUN-HEATED WATER (solar heating)
Bathing in warm water
is especially helpful. The
penetrating heat of the water
helps to improve blood flow,
calm pain, and relax the
muscles.
You can dig a hole in the
ground and cover its sides
with plastic sheets or cement
to prevent the water from leaking
out. So that the sunlight heats the
water faster, use black plastic,
or paint the cement a dark color.
(Green is friendlier than black.)
sheet of
strong, black
plastic
layer of
sand or
soft mud
(or use
cement)
A sheet of clear
(see-through)
plastic stretched
over the water when
not in use will
make it heat faster
in the sunlight.
TUB WITH A SELF-CIRCULATING SUN HEATER
Because warm water weighs less than
cool water, the hot sun-heated water
will rise and run into the tank here.
The cooler water will run out here.
black hose
In order for the water
to keep flowing, the
hose heating unit must
be below the level of
the tub.
sheet of clear plastic over the hose
disabled village children