Effects of Upper Limb Exercise on Thermoregulatory Responses in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

We evaluated changes in body temperature, heart rate, and oxygen uptake during arm cranking exercise (20 watts, 30 min) in an artificial climate room at a temperature of about 25°C or 35°C (relative humidity, about 50%) in 5 patients with paraplegics due to spinal cord injury (SCI). The tympanic temperature (Tty) was significantly higher from rest to recovery at 35°C than at 25'C. The mean Tty after 10 minutes of rest was 36.68°C ±0.396 (mean±SD) at a room temperature of 25°C and 37.25°C±0.253 at 35°C, showing a difference of about 0.5°C. This difference was maintained during exercise and recovery. The Tty at the end of exercise was higher than that at the start of exercise by 0.66°C± 0.218 (mean±SD) at 25°C and by 0.59°C±0.210 at 35°C. The skin temperature (Tsk) in each measurement area (the head, arm, chest, thigh, shin, and calf) was significantly higher at 35°C. Oxygen uptake did not differ between 25°C and 35°C. The heart rate was significantly higher at 35°C than at 25°C during rest and at the start of exercise but did not differ during exercise and recovery. Thus, mild - moderate exercise in this study did not cause marked changes such as increases in body temperature and heart rate that affect biological function in SCI. Mild-moderate exercise within 30 minutes may be possible at a temperature of 25 - 35°C and a relative humidity of 50% or less in SCI patients. However, attention should be paid to such matters as the supply of drinking water.