Sarah Wratten • Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Consultant and Aquatic Therapy Association for Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP) Accredited Tutor in Aquatic Therapy.


Aquatic Therapy Course tutoring

Sarah has been teaching Aquatic Therapy courses since 2001. In 2006 she started tutoring the ATACP Foundation Aquatic Physiotherapy course, a standardised 13 hour course which covers the required skills to be deemed working within your scope of practice without the need for supervision under the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) standards of practice. The Foundation course (former Level One) is appropriate for physiotherapists, or assistants working under the supervision of a physiotherapist. It is recommended this course is completed prior to an intermediate or bespoke course.  

The Foundation Aquatic Therapy course content includes:

Theory sessions on:

  • Physical properties of water 

  • Physiology of Immersion

  • Pool Management 

  • Treatment planning

Practical pool sessions on:

  • Physical properties – hydrostatics and hydrodynamics ‘The tools of the water’

  • Muscle strengthening and stretching

  • Joint mobilisations

  • Handling skills

  • Rhythmic stabilisations

  • Relaxation techniques 

  • Treatment planning

Sarah tutors intermediate musculoskeletal courses which can be customized to your requirements taking into account the patient population, staffing and pool environment. Courses can include topics such as:

  • Bad Ragaz Ring Method patterns (similar to PNF on land) used for strengthening

  • Manual Therapy including modified Maitland and MWM mobilisations

  • Rotational control (modified Halliwick concept) in rehabilitation 

  • Sports specific research and exercises

  • Treatment techniques specific to patient populations such as orthopaedic, rheumatology, pain management or sports injuries

Sarah provides a two day course in Ai Chi which is not physiotherapy specialism specific it is appropriate for anyone working in the health or fitness industry. The course covers:

  • What Ai Chi is, the benefits of use and the research evidence to support

  • The full sequence and breakdown of postures

  • Teaching skills

  • Condition adaptations

If you would like to discuss with Sarah about her tutoring a course for you please contact her. If you would like to see if Sarah will be tutoring a course in the near future please see her course diary


Upcoming course diary - please click on the course for the course organisers contact who has availability and cost information