Hot Water Immersion Affects the Nervous System: A Comparison of Older and Younger Populations Bruce E. Becker, M.D., and Kasee Hildenbrand, Ph.D. - Washington State University

In work presented last year at the WAHC, we found immersion temperature to be a very important variable in the response of young individuals to chest-depth immersion. We have gone on to study the responses of older individuals to see if there are important physiologic differences between younger and older populations. Our research focus has been the autonomic nervous system, which essentially acts as the control panel for many important biologic changes, including heart function and circulation. We found that both populations demonstrated statistically significant alterations of their autonomic nervous systems during immersion, and that there were some statistically significant differences between the populations. The trend and direction of these changes have important potential health-related implications. The results of this continuing research could potentially guide recommendations regarding optimal temperatures and durations for aquatic activity.

Biographical Information:

A graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Becker completed his residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Washington. Prior to moving to Spokane, Dr. Becker was an Associate Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine as well as Residency Program Director for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Wayne State University School of Medicine. He served as Vice President of Medical Affairs for the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan from January, 1992 until June, 1998. He moved to Spokane to serve as Medical Director of St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute from June 1998 until January 2006. He is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and Research Professor at Washington State University, where he directs the National Aquatics and Sports Medicine Institute studying the effects of aquatic activity.

Prior to assuming those roles, he was in private practice with Rehabilitation Medicine Associates in Eugene, Oregon, where he founded the Oregon Rehabilitation Center, and served as its Medical Director for many years. He has been interested in fitness, conditioning and the medical problems of the performing athlete throughout his career. He has a major interest in aquatic rehabilitation, and is President of the American Society of Medical Hydrology. In 1997, Dr. Becker and Andrew Cole, MD co-authored the textbook Comprehensive Aquatic Therapy published by Butterworth-Heinemann, which is also published in Portuguese and German. The second edition of the textbook was published in 2002 by Elsevier, and a third edition is in progress to be published by Lippencott Williams and Wilkins in 2008.

He has published chapters on aquatic therapy in the leading textbooks in rehabilitation, and lectured nationally and internationally in the area of aquatics. In 1996, Dr. Becker was chosen for listing in Best Doctors in America, Midwest Edition by Woodward and White, and was honored by his peers every year from 1998 to the present through his selection to the Best Doctors in America: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation listings. In 1999, Dr. Becker was named Aquatic Professional of the Year by the Aquatic Therapy and Rehabilitation Institute at their annual meeting in San Diego. He was named to the Power 25 in Aquatics by Aquatics Magazine in 2006.

Dr. Becker is the recipient of 3 research grants from the NSPF, as well as a 5-year contribution to Washington State University for creation of the National Aquatics and Sports Medicine Institute, which he directs.

Bio of Co-Presenter:
Kasee Hildenbrand is an Assistant Professor and Athletic Training Education Program Director at Washington State University. She also serves as the Associate Research Director for the National Aquatic and Sports Medicine Research Institute. She teaches subjects ranging from Human Anatomy, Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries, Injuries to the Upper Extremity and Organization and Administration of Athletic Training.

Kasee joined with Dr. Bruce Becker in 2006 and has looked at the effects of different water temperatures on different physiologic parameters. She also supervises the graduate assistant for the institute as well as student researchers. She is also serving as the main Principle Investigator for the Institutes project in the spring of 2009 looking at the effects of aquatic exercise compared to land-based exercise on different fitness parameters as well as risk factors associated with cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome.