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Cold effect on oxygen uptake, perceived exertion, and spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis
1College of Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
Objective:
To determine the effect of a cold bath (24 degrees C) on oxygen consumption and perceived exertion during ambulation and on spasticity in individuals with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis.
Design:
A repeated-measures design with random assignment of experimental and control conditions.
Setting:
Outpatient physical therapy department associated with an academic institution.
Patients:
Fourteen individuals with clinically definite multiple sclerosis exhibiting spasticity and capable of ambulating at 0.7 m/sec on a motorized treadmill without handrail support.
Measurement:
Assessment of oxygen uptake, heart rate, and perceived exertion occurred during two 10-minute walks interspersed with a 30-minute rest on 2 separate days. Measurement of spasticity occurred three times during each session.
Results:
Oxygen consumption and perceived exertion were unchanged. Spasticity was higher immediately (p < .05) after the cold bath.
Conclusions:
Increase in spasticity was statistically significant, but unlikely to be of any clinical importance. Contrary to our hypothesis, a cold bath (24 degrees C) for 20 minutes did not reduce oxygen consumption or rating of perceived exertion during ambulation.