Aquatic rehabilitation, in private practice.
POPS operates from the Aquatic Center Complex in Wildey — and the pool is part of the practice every week of the year, used for hydrotherapy, sports rehabilitation, prenatal classes, and group fitness. It's the only place outside a hospital in Barbados where you can access this kind of work.
The water changes what is clinically possible.
Water removes gravitational load on healing tissue. Patients with weight-bearing restrictions can begin meaningful mobilisation weeks before the same work is safe on land.
Water resists in three dimensions and scales to the effort applied. Strength, range, and proprioception can be trained in a single movement — there is no land equivalent.
Sustained gentle pressure on the body modulates inflammation, supports venous return, and reduces swelling. Particularly relevant for chronic pain, lymphatic conditions, and prenatal populations.
Warm water reduces muscle guarding and pain perception. Patients can often work harder and longer in the pool before discomfort or fatigue limits the session.
"Buoyancy doesn't just make recovery easier. It makes recoveries possible that would otherwise stall on land."
Marita Marshall · Founder
Conditions where the pool changes the outcome.
- Total knee and hip replacement
- ACL reconstruction
- Rotator cuff repair
- Spinal fusion and decompression
- Chronic back pain and disc pathology
- Osteoarthritis of hip, knee, and spine
- Fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndromes
- Recurrent or unresolved injury
- Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain
- Late-pregnancy mobility and conditioning
- Postnatal return to exercise
- Neurological rehabilitation
- Lymphatic and circulatory conditions
- Return to sport after lower-limb injury
Three group aquatic options.
Six-week aquatic programme for expectant mothers. Safe, low-impact movement designed for pregnancy.
Year-round pool-based group fitness for all ages and fitness levels.
Individual aquatic physiotherapy with a clinician — the bulk of post-surgical and chronic-pain pool work.
First time in the pool with us.
- Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
- No. Sessions take place in shallow water with constant supervision. The aquatic environment is used for therapy, not swimming — most exercises are performed in a vertical or supported position.
- What should I bring?
- Swimwear, a towel, and any medications you normally take with you. We provide flotation aids and equipment.
- Are sessions one to one or group?
- Both. Clinical hydrotherapy is delivered one to one with a physiotherapist. Group programmes (AquaNatal, AquaAerobics) are small-group sessions led by a physiotherapist.
- How warm is the pool?
- The pool is maintained at therapeutic temperature, warmer than a standard swimming pool. Warmth is part of the clinical effect.
- I have never had aquatic therapy before. What is the first session like?
- Your first session includes a brief orientation: entry and exit, buoyancy familiarisation, and the equipment we use. From there the session moves into assessment and treatment, paced to your comfort.