The goal of this pilot study is to demonstrate the safety, tolerance, and effectiveness of a 45-minute passive heating session providing a mild/moderate exercise response (warm up and 20-25 min activity equivalent) from full-body hot-water immersion in individuals with higher-level SCI (T7-C4).
Participants will come to Dr. Victoria Claydon’s lab at SFU for a single hot tub immersion session. The session will take about 3 to 4 hours: 1 hour of prep, 20 min of baseline data collection, up to 45 min of hot tub immersion, 20 min of post-immersion data collection, and 60-90 min of recovery. Transfers to and from the hot tub will use a Hoyer style lift. We will be non-invasively monitoring a variety of physiological measurements that help us see how your body responds to the passive heating and a potential exercise response. Measurements include: heart rate, blood pressure, core temperature, respiration rate, brachial and cerebral blood flow, oxygen consumption, and photographs of finger and toe pads.
Why should you participate?
While there may be no direct benefits to you from taking part in the study, the results from this study will be used as the basis of developing a longer-term study that will allow us to fully explore the potential of passive heating to provide a mild to moderate exercise response and provide a mode of cardiovascular exercise for those who have difficulty in engaging in a regular exercise program. Ultimately, we will develop a protocol for translating these and future findings into the home environment and the use of a typical bathtub, thereby demonstrating that passive heat therapy is a viable approach to improving health in the SCI population.
You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:
- Are currently healthy
- Are 19 years of age or older
- Injury level T7 to C4 (of any AIS level)
- Engage in a regular/consistent bowel/bladder management program
- Are able to perform a level transfer with minimal assistance
- Have received full immunization against COVID-19 according to current Health Canada guidelines
You may not be eligible to participate if you:
- Smoke/use tobacco products
- Have any cardiac/respiratory illness or diabetes mellitus
- Have known diverticulitis
- Are hypertensive (SBP > 140mmHg and/or DBP > 90mmHg)
- Have a scheduled MRI investigation in the 7 days following the session
- Take prescription medications that affect blood vessels (other than contraceptives)
- Have used an erectile dysfunction-related medicine (e.g., Viagra or Cialis) in the past 48 hours
- Have an unhealed fracture or contracture that would interfere with a simple chair-to-tub transfer or donning/doffing clothing
- Have an unhealed pressure sore of any grade or open skin areas
Time commitment: One testing session that will take between 3 to 4 hours
Compensation for participation: At the end of your study visit to our lab, you will receive an honorarium of $100 to thank you for your participation and time. In addition, we will provide a free parking pass at SFU and if transportation is a barrier we can offer reimbursement for a taxi.
This study will take place at: Simon Fraser University (8888 University Dr, Burnaby)
For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact study coordinator James Laskin by email or phone at (604) 200-3426.
