The IHTN is a newly founded body that manages the quality of the Halliwick Concept as a (physio)therapeutic approach. IHTN uses both the Ten-Point-Programme and Water Specific Therapy as an integrated system, and relates this system to health problems as formulated in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, World Health Organisation 2001).

Halliwick is regarded as the implementation of an evidence based clinical decision making process. External evidence (like randomized clinical trials in aquatic therapy), guidelines, expert opinion and patient values are combined in the goals to be reached. SMART goal setting is done by using the goal attainment scaling or Mymops systems, goals are assessed by water specific tests and regular "dry" tests or questionnaires.

Halliwick is a motor (re)learning approach - specific to water - and therefore can be related to land based approaches like neurorehabilitation, Bobath/NDT or MRP.

Halliwick techniques enable therapists also to work water-specifically:

• in core stabilization (like Pilates)
• as a reactive therapy
• with constraint induced movement principles
• with a fall prevention approach
• in a motivational, problem solving way
• in chronic pain behaviour modification

Halliwick can be integrated with and extended to concepts like the Bad Ragaz Ring Method, Ai Chi, Obstacle Course and Aqua®elax

A group of physiotherapists, previously trained as Halliwick lecturer in the Rhine system of the International Halliwick Association, have been selected to participate in the IHTN. They are: Johan Lambeck, Karen Sitz, Malú O.V.Garcia, Marcel Hulelmans, Merav Hadar-Frumer, Markus Pitschedell, Rosane Barroso Caetano, Urs Gamper ,Thomas Schick.

These physiotherapists cooperate to develop Halliwick according to the ideas that have been described above.

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