Phillip Wickman doesn't look like a traditional basketball player when he is seated in his wheelchair. However, in the water, this 14-year-old with cerebral palsy is a basketball star.

Phillip swims in a heated therapy pool at Performance Rehabilitation in Apopka. Although he has a hard time controlling his limbs on land, he is free to control his own body. The jerking of his arms and legs stops when he squares up for a shot at the inflatable hoop in the pool.

Aquatic therapy is definitely being used more and more often for children with cerebral palsy. This treatment has been around a while, but it is only now receiving the support and acceptance from therapists.

Phillip's father says that walking and standing were agony for Phillip during his regular physical therapy.

"When Phillip tried to walk with a walker, his legs would cross, causing him to trip and become frustrated."

Since he began aquatic therapy, Phillip has improved greatly and is showing more and more strength and mobility. He even stood for five minutes at a basketball game while he held to the railing!

Aquatic therapy for cerebral palsy relieves pressure on the joints and makes the patient feel weightless. This allows patients to gain a wider range of motion. Resistance in the water also triggers muscle growth because the patients work harder to build endurance, function and balance.

For more information about cerebral palsy, or to speak with a Texas cerebral palsy attorney, click here.