Summary
Twelve subjects with spinal cord injuries and four controls (all male) were exposed to heat while sitting at rest or working at each of three environmental temperatures, 30, 35 and 40°C, with a relative humidity of 50%. Exercise was accomplished at a load of 50 W on a friction-braked cycle ergometer which was armcranked or pedalled. Functional electrical stimulation of the legs was provided to the subjects with quadriplegia and paraplegia to allow them to pedal a cycle ergometer. The data showed that individuals with quadriplegia had the poorest tolerance for heat. As an example, in this group, accomplishing armcrank ergometry while working at an environmental temperature of 40°C resulted in an increase in aural temperature of 2°C in 30 min. The aural temperature of individuals with paraplegia working for the same length of time under the same conditions rose approximately 1°C. There was virtually no change in the aural temperature in the control subjects.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Attia M, Engel P (1983) Thermoregulatory set point in patients with spinal cord injuries (spinal man). Paraplegia 21:233–248
Downey JA, Chiodi HP, Darling RC (1967) Central temperature regulation in the spinal man. J Appl Physiol 22:91–94
Downey JA, Miller JM, Darling RC (1969) Thermoregulatory responses to deep and superficial cooling in spinal man. J Appl Physiol 27:209–212
Downey JA, Huckaba CE, Myers SJ, Darling RC (1973) Thermoregulation in the spinal man. J Appl Physiol 34:790–794
Downey JA, Huckaba CE, Kelley PS, Tam HS, Darling RC, Cheh HY (1976) Sweating responses to central and peripheral heating in spinal man. J Appl Physiol 40:701–706
Glaser RM (1986) Physiologic aspects of spinal cord injury and functional neuromuscular stimulation. Cent Nerv Syst Trauma 3:49–62
Glaser RM, Simsen-Harold C, Petrofsky JS, Kahn S, Suryaprasad A (1983) Metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses of older wheelchair-dependent and ambulatory patients during locomotion. Ergonomics 26:687–697
Guttman L (1976) Spinal cord injuries: comprehensive management and research, 2nd edn. Blackwell, Melbourne
Guttman L, Silver J, Wyndham (1958) Thermoregulation in spinal man J Physiol (Lond) 142:406–419
Hutchinson J (1875) Clinical lecture on temperature and circulation after crushing of cervical spinal cord. Lancet 1:715
Paget GE (1885) Case of remarkable risings and fallings of body temperature. Lancet 11:4–6
Petrofsky JS (1992) Metabolic, cardiovascular and respiratory responses which occur during computer-controlled aerobic exercise in patients with paraplegia. Arch Phys Med Rehabil (in press)
Petrofsky JS, Smith J (1988) Computer aided rehabilitation. Aviat Space Environ Med 59:670–679
Petrofsky JS, Rinehart JS, Lind AR (1976) Isometric strength and endurance in slow and fast muscles in the cat. Fed Proc 35:291
Petrofsky JS, Lind AR (1979) Isometric endurance in fast and slow muscle in the rat. Am J Physiol 236:85–91
Petrofsky JS, Burse R, Lind AR (1981) The effect of deep muscle temperature on the cardiovascular responses of man to static effort. Eur J Appl Physiol 47:7–16
Petrofsky JS, Heaton HH, Phillips CA (1983a) Outdoor bicycle for exercise in paraplegics and quadriplegics. J Biomed Eng 5:296–297
Petrofsky JS, Phillips CA, Glaser RM, Heaton H (1983b) Application of the Apple as a microprocessor-controlled stimulator. Collegiate Microcomputer 1:97–104
Petrofsky JS, Phillips CA, Heaton HH, Glaser RM (1984) Bicycle ergometer for paralyzed muscle. J Clin Eng 9:13–19
Petrofsky JS, Phillips CA, Briggs R, Almayda J, Couch W (1985a) Aerobic trainer with physiological monitoring for exercise in paraplegics and quadriplegics. J Clin Eng 10:307–315
Petrofsky JS, Phillips CA, Hendershot D (1985b) Cardiorespiratory stresses which occur during dynamic exercise in paraplegic and quadriplegic men. J Neurol Orthop Surg 6:252–258
Petrofsky JS, Smith J (1991) Aerobic exercise trainer for paralyzed and non-paralyzed. J Clin Eng 65:505–514
Pollock LJ, Boshes B, Chor H, Finkelman I, Arief AJ, Brown M (1951) Defects of regulatory mechanisms of autonomic function in injuries to spinal cord. J Neurophysiol 14: 85–93
Rack PM, Westbury DR (1969) The effects of length and stimulus rate on tension in the isometric cat soleus muscle. J Physiol 204:443–460
Ragnarsson K, Pollack S, Petrofsky JS, O'Daniel W, Edgar R, Nash M (1988) Clinical evaluation of functional electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury, a pilot multicenter study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 69:672–677
Sawka M, Latzka W, Pandolf K (1989) Temperature regulation during upper body exercise: able bodied and spinal cord injured. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:132–140
Young JS, Burns PE, Brwen AM, McClutcheon R (1982) Spinal cord injury statistics: experience of regional spinal cored injury systems. Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Petrofsky, J.S. Thermoregulatory stress during rest and exercise in heat in patients with a spinal cord injury. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 64, 503–507 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00843758
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00843758