Effects of Aquatic Physiotherapy in individuals with anxiety and insomnia: A pilot study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62827/fb.v27i4.1201Keywords:
Hydrotherapy; Mental Health; Anxiety Disorders; Sleep Wake Disorders; Physical Therapy Modalities.Abstract
Introduction: Anxiety and insomnia may coexist and impair daily functioning. Aquatic interventions combine slow movements, breathing, and relaxation, but their clinical evidence remains limited. Objective: To evaluate changes in anxiety symptoms and sleep quality after an aquatic physiotherapy protocol using Ai Chi and Watsu. Methods: This was a single-group pilot intervention study with before-and-after assessment and no control group. Adults aged 18 to 45 years with a medical diagnosis of anxiety disorder and recurrent insomnia complaints completed ten alternating Ai Chi and Watsu sessions between February and May 2024. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were applied. Results: Nine participants completed the protocol. The mean anxiety score decreased from 38.3 to 11.4 points, and the mean sleep score decreased from 14.3 to 8.3 points. After the intervention, four participants were classified as having no anxiety, three as having mild anxiety, and two as having moderate anxiety; none remained in the severe category. Two participants reached scores compatible with good sleep quality. Conclusion: The protocol was associated with descriptive reductions in anxiety scores and improved sleep-quality scores. Because this was a small pilot study without a control group, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary.
References
Castillo ARG, Recondo R, Asbahr FR, Manfro GG. Transtornos de ansiedade. Rev Bras Psiquiatr [Internet]. 2000 Dec [cited 2026 Jun 20];22(Suppl 2):20-3. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-44462000000600006&lng=pt&tlng=pt. doi:10.1590/S1516-44462000000600006.
Nardi AE. Some notes on a historical perspective of panic disorder. J Bras Psiquiatr [Internet]. 2006 [cited 2026 Jun 20];55(2):154-60. Available from: https://www.scielo.br/j/jbpsiq/a/tQ7QfXYcBZLFhS8vwrt7csq/. doi:10.1590/S0047-20852006000200010.
D'Ávila LI, Rocha FC, Rios BRM, Pereira SGS, Piris AP. Processo patológico do transtorno de ansiedade segundo a literatura digital disponível em português: revisão integrativa. Rev Psicol Saúde [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2026 Jun 20];12(2):155-68. Available from: https://pssaucdb.emnuvens.com.br/pssa/article/view/922. doi:10.20435/pssa.v0i0.922.
Willhelm AR, Andretta I, Ungaretti MS. Importância das técnicas de relaxamento na terapia cognitiva para ansiedade. Contextos Clín [Internet]. 2015 May 6 [cited 2026 Jun 20];8(1):79-86. Available from: https://www.revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/contextosclinicos/article/view/ctc.2015.81.08. doi:10.4013/ctc.2015.81.08.
Vorkapic CF, Rangé B. Os benefícios do yoga nos transtornos de ansiedade. Rev Bras Ter Cogn [Internet]. 2011 Jun [cited 2026 Jun 20];7(1):50-4. Available from: https://www.rbtc.org.br/detalhe_artigo.asp?id=140. doi:10.5935/1808-5687.20110009.
Pereira JS, Souza RS, Miranda CJCP. Efeitos da fisioterapia aquática para a qualidade do sono. Essentia (Sobral) [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2026 Jun 20];23(2):1-7. Available from: https://essentia.uvanet.br/index.php/ESSENTIA/article/view/428.
Fornazari LP. Fisioterapia aquática [Internet]. Guarapuava: UNICENTRO; 2012 [cited 2026 Jun 20]. Available from: https://educapes.capes.gov.br/handle/capes/177224.
Gil AC. Como elaborar projetos de pesquisa. 4a ed. São Paulo: Atlas; 2002.
Slomp FM, Moreira AC, Groxko AC, Czaika EC, Ribeiro MET, Losso R. Uso da escala de Hamilton para verificação do grau de ansiedade em professores da rede pública de ensino no município de Guarapuava-PR. Braz J Dev [Internet]. 2021 Dec 29 [cited 2026 Jun 20];7(12):119169-78. Available from: https://ojs.brazilianjournals.com.br/ojs/index.php/BRJD/article/view/41710. doi:10.34117/bjdv7n12-603.
Jackson M, Kang M, Furness J, Kemp-Smith K. Aquatic exercise and mental health: a scoping review. Complement Ther Med [Internet]. 2022 Jun [cited 2026 Jun 20];66:102820. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35218906/. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102820.
Schitter AM, Radlinger L, Kurpiers N, Frei P. Application areas and effects of aquatic therapy WATSU: a survey among practitioners. Complement Ther Clin Pract [Internet]. 2022 Feb [cited 2026 Jun 20];46:101513. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34844068/. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101513.
Silva LA, Tortelli L, Motta J, Menguer L, Mariano S, Tasca G, et al. Effects of aquatic exercise on mental health, functional autonomy and oxidative stress in depressed elderly individuals: a randomized clinical trial. Clinics (Sao Paulo) [Internet]. 2019 Jun 20 [cited 2026 Jun 20];74:e322. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6585867/. doi:10.6061/clinics/2019/e322.
Pacagnelli FL, Freire APCF, Rocha APR, Gomes PRL, Fregonesi CEPT, Carmo EM. Níveis de ansiedade e depressão em gestantes submetidas a um programa de hidroterapia. ConScientiae Saúde [Internet]. 2015 Sep [cited 2026 Jun 20];14(3):440-8. Available from: https://periodicos.uninove.br/saude/article/view/5598. doi:10.5585/ConsSaude.v14n3.5598.
Reinert HBG, Santos RCCS. Os benefícios das técnicas de hidroterapia nos transtornos da saúde mental: revisão de literatura. Rev Trab Com Cienc [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2026 Jun 20];2(1). Available from: https://revista.unilus.edu.br/index.php/rtcc/article/view/1673.
Silva DC, Haddad MIR, Garcia FHS, Ferreira GA, Vieira MB, Freitas RC. Atuação fisioterapêutica no tratamento de pessoas com ansiedade e depressão. Nativa Rev Cienc Soc Norte Mato Grosso [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2026 Jun 20];12(2). Available from: https://revistanativa.com.br/index.php/nativa/article/view/491.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Camille Eduarda Santos Lisboa, Sandro Júnio Assunção Amazonas, Gabriel de Oliveira Vale, Gustavo Antônio Tavares Picanço, Andiara de Cássia Ribeiro Simões, Ígor Alves Chalkidis, Mariana dos Anjos Furtado de Sá, Átila Barros Magalhães (Autor)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Autores que publicam nesta revista concordam com os seguintes termos:
Autores mantém os direitos autorais e concedem à revista o direito de primeira publicação, com o trabalho simultaneamente licenciado sob a Licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 que permite o compartilhamento do trabalho com reconhecimento da autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
Autores têm autorização para distribuição não-exclusiva da versão do trabalho publicada nesta revista (ex.: publicar em repositório institucional ou como capítulo de livro), com reconhecimento de autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
