Developing an aquatic fitness and rehabilitation centre

by jason_cramp | March 19, 2015 9:13 am

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By Campbell McKie

Liquid Gym is a one-of-a-kind hydrotherapy and hydro-training facility in Ottawa, and is the brainchild of Karen Snyder and Irene Hammerich. After Snyder broke her leg five years ago, and experiencing the challenges of scheduling physiotherapy during her busy schedule, she decided to do something to improve the situation for those requiring physiotherapy in Ottawa.

Spurred by her aquatic training and previous experience developing adapted aquatic programs, Snyder started her research.

Not long into it, Snyder, along with her business partner, knew they had the basis for a strong, promising business plan as the resources of the medical community have been severely challenged by baby boomers and this demographics’ need for physiotherapy. As the population ages, knee and hip replacements are becoming more necessary, and with an increase in workers compensation and insurance claims from automobile, farm, and in-home accidents, hydrotherapy is on the rise. Therefore, Snyder felt there was definitely a strong financial incentive in catering to the rehabilitative needs of the senior population.

Another segment of the business would cater to professional sports teams. The advantages of hydrotherapy are well known to athletes, helping injured players get back into the lineup. In fact, hydrotherapy is being used to decrease training injuries and to increase an athlete’s ability to perform.

Further, groundbreaking research has been completed establishing hydrotherapy as one of the safest methods to weightloss. In research completed by Texas A & M University[2], which looked at the efficacy of underwater treadmill exercise training, participants took part in a 12-week program that involved exercising three times per week without altering their diet. A summary of the results showed underwater treadmill exercise programs performed by overweight and obese men and women was an effective training modality, producing beneficial changes in body composition and improvements in physical fitness. Additionally, a leaner body mass index (BMI) was gained during an underwater treadmill training program compared to a land-based treadmill training program. Body mass index, per cent body fat, and waist to hip ratio were significantly reduced in participants. Other advantages include the lower risk of pain and injury.

Unique challenges

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Some unique challenges were encountered while implementing this business venture; therefore, to minimize capital investment and to speed up implementation, the decision was made to rent facility space as opposed to constructing a new building. The owners also decided all of the equipment needed to provide flexibility to accommodate any future considerations. As a result, this ruled out the standard poured-in-place concrete pool.

To provide this type of flexibility it created another set of unique challenges. For instance, all of the current standards for commercial construction are based on concrete pool parameters; however, fibreglass pools require a slope on the walls to remove the shell without destroying the moulds. Commercial pool codes state the walls should be perpendicular, like in a standard concrete pool.

Another stumbling block was the variation in height of the potential clients. For instance, a 1.24 m (4 ft 1 in.) gymnast and a 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in.) basketball player are both required to be chest deep in the water while exercising on a bike or treadmill. Therefore, flexibility in water depth was a major challenge in designing a pool that would accommodate every client.

To resolve this issue, the first option considered was to design custom fibreglass pools to address various technical requirements. However, the cost of a custom pool was three times that of a stock-shelf design. Therefore, financial restrictions eliminated this idea.

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As the commercial pool requirements unfolded, the need for multiple pool depths resulted in a space crunch. This created the need to stack the pool and hydrotherapy mechanical equipment. For example, the filter and acid tanks were installed on one level, the pump and the automatic controller were installed on the second level, and the heater was installed on the third level. Similarly, the hydraulic treadmills had to be stacked on custom shelving units to reduce the footprint of the equipment rooms.

Today, all buildings have to be designed with accessibility in mind. This is especially true when 80 per cent of the business’s clientele have mobility issues or are temporarily disabled. Therefore, careful attention to traffic flow, wider access areas, power assisted doors, elevators, and special water-entry features that could handle this range of clientele were imperative.

The most demanding challenge, however, was the classification of the pools. The normal concern for commercial pools is how they are classed (i.e. class A or B), water turnover rates (e.g. four to six times per day), and accessibility. However, in the case of this project, due to the higher water temperatures and the manner in which the pools were going to be used (for vigorous exercise), a new challenge emerged. The required turnover rate in a swim spa is 20 times per day. This also caused some confusion over chlorine demand. The increased water temperature with an unknown number of exercising clients also raised some concerns. All of this was further complicated by the lack of scientific standards; therefore, everything had to be negotiated.

To remedy the situation, a great deal of time was spent researching and presenting the reasons behind the differences in the old concrete standards versus the new building materials and the non-traditional use of a swimming pool. Fortunately the city of Ottawa building department and the politicians involved were progressive and extremely helpful in resolving all of these unique challenges.

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The final product

Despite never building a commercial pool—never mind four in one building—the Liquid Gym business group selected McKie Pools and Spas in Pembroke, Ont., to design and install the hydrotherapy pools for this project.

How to proceed?

Not knowing how daunting this challenge would be, McKie Pools used the resources made available to the company through the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada (PHTCC) by participating in every commercial pool-related seminar program available at the 2013 Canadian Pool & Spa Conference & Expo. Robert Wood, PHTCC executive director, also connected McKie Pools with other companies and individuals that specialized in commercial aquatics. McKie Pools also registered their client to attend the trade show. The conference proved to be invaluable as the project was explained to various exhibitors who passed along their knowledge and experience, while the PHTCC provided checklists and the necessary contacts to tackle the project head on. Was it easy?
No, but it was possible thanks to hard work and the support of the company’s suppliers and various PHTCC members.

Hydrotherapy pools designed for different needs

The facility comprises three areas, physical exercise, training, and physiotherapy, with a total footprint of 743 m² (8000 sf). The aquatics area includes four pools—each independently controlled for heat with individual variable-speed pumps (VSPs), sand filters, and automatic chlorination and acid systems to accommodate flexible training requirements. Water depths are different in each pool, as well as adjustable. As a result, the pools were given a class B designation, but are capable of turning the water over 10 times a day in anticipation of future growth. The pools provide clients with the following options:

Therapy pool

This pool is 3.7 x 4.3 m (12 x 14 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 33 C (92 F). It has a water depth of 1.29 m (4.23 ft) and includes a treadmill with camera and television monitor, two aqua bikes, and an upper body exercise station. The therapy pool is used by the in-house physiotherapists and is available for rent by external physiotherapists.

LG 1 pool

This pool is 3.7 x 11.3 m (12 x 37 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 30.5 C (87 F). It has a water depth of 1.42 m (4.65 ft) and includes four treadmills with cameras and television monitors, along with six aqua bikes.

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LG 2 pool

This pool is 3.7 x 11.3 m (12 x 37 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 29.4 C (85 F). It has a water depth of 1.37 m (4.49 ft) and includes three treadmills with cameras and television monitors and five aqua bikes. The facility also uses this pool to host spin classes.

Endless pool

This pool, which has a water depth of 1.32 m (4.33 ft), is 2.4 x 4.8 m (8 x 16 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 29 C (84 F). This aquatic therapy station features a swim current for swim-in-place training, along with a treadmill.

A little about the equipment

The aquatic treadmills used in the therapy pools are designed with fitness and physical rehabilitation in mind. By using a submerged treadmill, the natural buoyancy of the water supports the user, therefore eliminating 50 to 90 per cent of their body weight. This allows the user to maintain or increase their cardiovascular stamina, muscle toning, and flexibility by eliminating some of the gravitational stress placed on joints while walking or running. The speed of the treadmill can be adjusted for all levels of fitness and capabilities. Each treadmill includes side rails that can be adjusted to provide the user with additional stability while walking or running. Each treadmill also has a massage hose that can help to reduce swelling and scar tissue breakup in specific areas.

The swim current in the endless pool allows users to continuously swim without the need to worry about turning, stopping, or sharing a lane. The speed of the current is adjustable so it can be used by both amateur and competitive swimmers. It has a top speed of 5.1 km/h (2.5 mph), which is equivalent to the pace in a 43-minute Ironman event.

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By adding the aquatic treadmill to the swim current workout, users can increase the intensity and variety of their workout. This set-up also allows for interval and brick training, e.g. swim, then run, then swim, then run, etc.

The aqua bikes were specifically developed to be pedaled while immersed in water. They also have a special resistance mechanism that allows users to adjust the bike to their personal fitness level. Again, the buoyancy of the water allows users with movement restrictions (due to arthritis, fibromyalgia, hip or knee replacement, injury, weight-bearing limitations, and/or medical conditions) to engage in therapy and training opportunities which might not be possible in other environments.

Special conditions

As the pools are positioned on the floor of the facility (i.e. above-ground), solar covers are not practical. Therefore, a special water additive is used to reduce heat loss and minimize water evaporation. Like many new businesses, Ottawa’s Liquid Gym has experienced some first year growing pains; however, future developments are still being planned. Thanks to this project, McKie Pools and Spas has gained the confidence to move forward in other commercial ventures.

Author Note: A special note of thanks goes to SCP Distributors, Hayward Pool Products Canada, Pentair Aquatic Systems, Barrier Reef Pools, Endless Pools, and Liquid Gym, all of which played a significant role in helping to make this a successful project.

 

Campbell McKie, along with his wife Kelley, is the co-owner of McKie Pools and Spas in Pembroke, Ont. He has several years of supervisory experience with 30-plus years in the municipal recreation field. He can be reached via e-mail at cmckie@bellnet.ca[8].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/developing-an-aquatic-fitness-and-rehabilitation-centre/

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