Summary of our studies
Aquatics and asthma »
Aquatics and arthritis »
Aquatics and athletics »
Warm water immersion »
Aquatics and asthma
Exercise has been shown to have extensive health benefits both in normally functioning adults as well as in adults with asthma. Asthmatic individuals have previously been noted to have suboptimal cardiorespiratory function and other metabolic risk factors that are improved by endurance exercise training. A program of regular aquatic exercise may have unique benefits in the asthmatic population because of the known aerobic capacity development typical of such programs, combined with the unique value of immersion-produced improvements in respiratory endurance and cardiac output. In addition, there may be clinically important gains in function as well as an increase in exercise-produced anti-inflammatory proteins. The goal of our current study is to examine the impact of a 12-week exercise program on psychological and physiological factors related to coronary heart disease and type II diabetes in an asthmatic population. We will also be examining differences between land-based and water-based exercise adaptations. We hypothesize that a semester-long weekly exercise regimen in an asthmatic population will result in statistically significant improvement in cardiorespiratory function, asthma symptoms, sleep quality, and psychological parameters.
Aquatics and arthritis
While the symptomatic effects of warm water immersion on arthritis are well known and documented, there is very little information on the physiologic processes that underlie these subjective responses. As a consequence, optimal clinical guidance cannot be knowledgeably extended to individuals regarding ideal immersion temperatures, immersion doses (times in water), or immersion frequency to achieve therapeutic effectiveness. The autonomic nervous system is a likely neuromodulatory mechanism initiating these physiologic processes, and has been implicated in the release or suppression of inflammatory cytokines, as well as in many cardioregulatory and central nervous system events. This research potentially extends that knowledge into arthritis-specific mechanisms. If we are able to find effects on autonomically-mediated cytokine releases and other physiologically relevant changes, this potentially adds a very safe and non-pharmacologic means of assisting in arthritis management. It also may lead us forward into further research defining ideal water temperatures and immersion timeframes specific to disease acuity phases. Since warm water immersion is readily available to virtually the entire population, is very safe and subjectively enjoyable, a better understanding of the mechanisms involved would be of very real public health value.
Aquatics and athletics
Collaboration with Washington State University Athletics was a major goal in creation of the Institute. Aquatic exercise has emerged not only as a means of facilitating recovery from injury, but also as a very useful cross-training adjunct for many land-based sports. We work with basketball, cross-country, track and other Cougar sports to create athletic performance enhancement through natural and safe training adaptations using aquatic techniques. Our goal is to assist athletes in achieving injury-free sports performance that gains national recognition, while aiding the institute in developing state-of-the-art training protocols.
Warm water immersion
Numerous studies have examined the effects of water immersion temperatures on the cardiovascular system, but few have examined the effects of immersion temperature on factors relating to autonomic nervous system regulation (ANS). Our research thus far has assessed aquatic immersion temperatures upon the cardiovascular system, peripheral circulation and core temperatures in a young college-aged group and a middle-aged group. We have found a number of important physiologic changes within the ANS that occur during immersion, with a striking decrease in sympathetic nervous system function during warm water immersion. Interestingly these changes are almost identical between age groups, with the older age group at higher baseline measurements. These changes may well have beneficial public health implications for water use.
Contact us
NASMI
Physical Education Building Room 101AA
PO Box 641410
Pullman, WA 99164-1410
Phone: 509-335-8226
Fax: 509-335-4594
aquatic.research@wsu.edu