Course Info

Virtual Sessions via Zoom

Can’t attend live? No problem!

Access to course recording will be available for 30 days (following the course air date) for advanced purchasers.

Moving Beyond Pain for Function, Mobility, and Well-Being
Featuring Ruth Sova
Tuesday August 25, 2026
2:00 - 4:00pm Eastern Time (Miami/New York)
CEC/CEUs: AEA/ATRI 2.0


Pain affects movement, function, confidence, and quality of life. The aquatic environment provides a unique setting to reduce gravitational stress, support movement, enhance body awareness, and promote relaxation.
This course explores evidence-based aquatic strategies for pain management across the lifespan. Participants will learn how alignment, trunk control, breathing, movement awareness, myofascial release, mobility training, Ai Chi, BackHab principles, and unpredictable movement can be incorporated into aquatic programs.
The course also examines sensory input, neuroplasticity, movement variability, and the therapeutic properties of water in supporting efficient movement and improved pain coping. Practical interventions will be presented for orthopedic, neurological, chronic pain, post-surgical, and aging populations.


Objectives:
  • Describe the physiological and neurological mechanisms of acute and chronic pain and explain how the properties of water influence pain perception, movement quality, and function.
  • Identify the relationship between alignment, posture, breath regulation, and pain reduction, and apply strategies that promote relaxation, movement control, and comfort.
  • Apply Vertical Trunk Control Sequence principles to improve stability, movement efficiency, body awareness, and functional movement.
  • Implement movement-based interventions, including unpredictable commands, intertrial variability, and Ai Chi principles, to enhance movement adaptability, balance, mobility, relaxation, and neuroplasticity.
  • Integrate aquatic myofascial release, BackHab, and mobility techniques into aquatic pain management programs to improve movement quality and reduce discomfort across diverse populations.

Ruth Sova, MS, ATRIC, is dedicated to the growth and betterment of the aquatic therapy industry.  She holds numerous awards and honors, and is recognized for her global contributions in Ai Chi, recently authoring her third book on the topic, Ai Chi – The Water Way to Health & Healing.  Ruth founded the Aquatic Exercise Association and the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute.

This course in Combination with Brain, Balance and Beyond with UCT (Sept 2026) and PNF and LMT: Functional and Integrated Movement (Oct 2026) earns you the ATRI Specialty Certificate - Functional Movement Applications Therapeutic Exercise if completed by November 30, 2026!

Pricing Info

$49.00

AEA/ATRI Members get 20% off

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& Virtually Live Courses”

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