Feel Free At Zero G! An aquatic therapy experience at Polyclinic Rehabilitation Institute

Last week I was walking through the tastefully decorated hallways of Polyclinic Rehabilitation Institute, when the clinic director, Dr. Vladimir Levitin, approached me and asked me if I had a chance to try one of the Aquatherapy sessions the clinic had to offer. I replied, no. Then, Dr. Levitin mentioned that I should definitely book one for myself and that I was due for an experience of a lifetime. Intrigued by such a bold statement, I walked right over to the front desk, where an assistant promptly set one up for me with a warm smile. I went on with my day and two days later, I re-entered the PRI clinic, when I was ushered into a well-maintained men’s locker room, that lead to the Aquatherapy room. I didn’t know what to expect, and was greeted by the therapy facilitator, Vladimir Marcovic, who had a strong, warm handshake and a radiant smile. Vladimir encouraged me to get into the pool and get myself comfortable.

I took note of the many floating devices that buoyed around the pool, took a whiff of clean air around me that didn’t have even a slightest trace of chlorine, so typical around public pool areas, and marveled at a gorgeous painting in the ceiling that softly shone at me. I then switched my entire attention to Vladimir and soaked in the water, while soaking in his introduction to the session I was about to receive.

“Imagine your body being immersed into a 86F water, feeling completely free and weightless”, I heard Vladimir say. “Last time you may have experienced this feeling, was probably in your mother’s womb,” Vladimir continued. “Many eons ago, our ancestors lived in water. Water is our natural state, which we all aim for. Water can work with gravity or against gravity. Water can make us float, “ said Vladimir, as his entire body went up to the surface, where he lied still, like many people would lie on the bed, “or it can make us sink like a rock, “continued Vladimir as he dove underneath the water and hovered motionless on the bottom of the pool like a skate fish.

Re-emerging from the bottom, Vladimir encouraged me to give it a shot. I inhaled a full breath of air, relaxed my body as much as possible and naturally floated up towards the surface of the pool. Vladimir placed a few floating devices underneath my head, my lower back and my knees to assist me. I lied still for a few minutes, soaking in the pool and marveling at the painting above me, when Vladimir began the therapy. He started off by flexing my knees to the chest, then extending my back several times. I could feel how stiff my hip joints were in the beginning, stressed out by the constant walking and sitting and carrying a lot of my weight for many years.

For the next 45 minutes, my body was constantly flexed and extended at every major joint both forward, backwards and sideways, while I relaxed and let Vladimir have complete control over my body. Each of my muscles from neck to toes was massaged using special techniques that I have never experienced before. I closed my eyes and drifted away, letting Vladimir do his work. 40 minutes later, I reopened my eyes, and I felt like I was reborn again. All of the stiffness, all of the stress that I felt in my hips, my feet, my neck, my back and my shoulders in the beginning of the session, was completely gone. My body was so loose, that my feet could touch my face, when Vladimir flexed my hips. In the beginning of the session, my knees couldn’t even touch my chest. I never felt this relaxed in my entire life.

Dr. Levitin was right. This was indeed an experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait for another session!

Your body deserves this amazing experience for optimal health. For such excellent care, please check out the PRI clinic. They have very knowledgeable staff that will take care of you and your health. To book an appointment, please call or follow these links.