Halliwick

The Halliwick Concept

James McMillan has developed the Halliwick concept since 1950 as a swimming method for people with special needs.

He based the concept on his knowledge of fluidmechanics and added to this theoretical and observational considerations on the reactions of the human body in the aquatic environment. This combination of fluidmechanics and the neurobiological answers of the body led to a sensori-motor learning sequence, called The-Ten-Point-Programme. This sequence leads a person from the adaptation to water to a basic swimming stroke. A central topic in the programme is the achievements of control over rotations around the various body axes. These rotations occur because of the so-called "metacentric” effects, i.e. the relationship between gravitational and buoyant forces. This relationship is being altered by changes in shape and/or density that occur in the disabled body.

Therefore a thorough assessment of both changes in density and shape is needed in order to predict the rotational problems that a swimmer with special needs might have.

The order of teaching in the Ten-Point-Programme is:

1. Mental Adjustment / Disengagement
2. Sagittal Rotation Control / Disengagement
3. Transversal Rotation Control / Disengagement
4. Longitudinal Rotation Control / Disengagement
5. Combined Rotation Control / Disengagement
6. Upthrust or Mental Inversion / Disengagement
7. Balance in Stillness / Disengagement
8. Turbulent Gliding / Disengagement
9. Simple Progression / Disengagement
10. Basic Halliwick Movement / Disengagement

The ten points have three stages of motor learning, showing the process-oriented philosophy of the concept. The concept therefore is very popular in neurological and paediatric rehabilitation and is often said to be “Bobath in water”.

In 1974 McMillan was asked to develop an exercise system, based on the Ten-Point-Programme, by the medical director of the Bad Ragaz Health Spa Centre in Switzerland. During a five-year research project, the Water Specific Exercises (WSE) or Logic Approach to Therapy in Water were developed.

The WSE takes into account all elements that are important in planning, executing and assessing the exercise therapy in water. It is therefore a clinical decision making system, which allows choosing between about 10.000 options, combined from the following categories:

• Treatment Objective
• Rotational Plane
• Starting Posture
• Exercise Pattern
• Treatment Technique ( including the choise for depth )
• Mode of Treatment

The photographs show some of the points, being applied either as group activities or as an individual exercise. 

	Photo 1: Mental Adjustment, the snake, experiencing turbulence and facilitating head- and trunk control
	Photo 2: Disengagement, a circle that increases its size and stimulates independence
	Photo 3: Disengagement: bicycling without eye-contact. Facilitation of trunk stability and head balance
	Photo 4: Sagittal Rotation Control: working on righting reactions and lengthening of the trunk
	Photo 5: Vertical Rotation Control: exercising symmetry and selectivity durig graded extension
	Photo 6: Lateral Rotation Control: the very important breath control in a proper alignment
	Photo 7: Lateral Rotation Control: demonstration of armactivity
	Photo 8: Balance in Stillness. Turbulence creates rotation, the swimmer has to stabilise hips and spine
	Photo 9: McMillan working on longitudinal rotation, using turbulence in a resisting way
	Photo 10: Breath Control during Mental Adjustment
	Photo 11: Upthrust or Mental Inversion
	Photo 12: Sagittal Rotation Control, stabilising the lower trunk
	Photo 13: Transversal Rotation Control: catching toes, a classical Halliwick game
	Photo 14: Balance in Stillness with an asymmetric metacentric torque

Halliwick Ten Point Programme

Halliwick-Ten-Point-Programme (PDF)

Halliwick Water Specific Therapy

Videoclips (Realplayer)

1. Introductie en uitleg van de effecten die de verandering van de omgeving geven.
2. Handvattingen in rugligging en de effecten op het evenwicht bij een gezonde proefpersoon.
3. Handvattingen in rugligging en een therapeutische toepassing bij een persoon met een rechtszijdige hemiplegie.
4. De glabella reflex: gevolgen voor het evenwicht wanneer het hoofd wordt aangeraakt.
5. Gevolgen voor het evenwicht door oogbewegingen.
6. Posities van de ledematen: de lange positie wordt gebruikt om longitudinale en sagittale rotatie uit te lokken. De wijde positie remt deze rotaties en wordt gebruikt om de transversale rotatie te vergemakkelijken.
7. Metacentrische effecten. Het gebruik als stabiliserende oefening en als mogelijkheid om evenwichtsreacties uit te lokken bij een gezonde proefpersoon.
8. Metacentrische effecten bij een persoon met een incomplete thoracale dwarslaesie, ter activering van de rompspieren.
9. Traagheids-patronen en het gebruik om het lichaam om de middenlijn te stabiliseren.
10. Inhibitie van bewegingen. Wanneer iemand distale vaste punten heeft, is het moeilijk om in de romp de bewegingsuitslag te benutten/vergroten.
11. Transference en conclusie. Denken aan een beweging geeft evenwichtsverlies omdat de aanspanning van spieren verandert. Water vergroot de evenwichtsproblemen en dwingt het lichaam om te reageren.
12. Colofon

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