From the moment he relocated from England to Allendale in 2008 to work in the Movement Science Department, Ross 谢尔曼, associate professor of exercise science, has focused his research on environmental extremes, altered body temperature, and recovery strategies, so he is familiar with the benefits of various cooling techniques.
“Neck cooling in particular is one effective way to cool down 运动员，”谢尔曼说. “Cooling devices are used by athletes who are practicing on a hot day, or who play in warmer climates.”
He added that these devices benefit race-car drivers and even those 在军队服役.
Last year, a conversation with a friend got 谢尔曼 thinking about how neck 冷却装置s might also help people with multiple 硬化. His friend was discouraged and shared how his mother couldn’t do many activities in the summer because of the heat.
“One of the common phenomena of MS is that those with the condition are more sensitive to heat,” 谢尔曼 explained. “他们更有意识 of a change in their core temperature and become easily fatigued.”
博天堂官方网页 80 percent of people with MS also have Uhthoff’s syndrome, when changes in body temperature make a person’s existing MS symptoms 更糟糕的是. Symptoms include muscle weakness, numbing sensations and 视力、平衡和协调能力的变化.
“It is crucial for those with MS to exercise in order to help their 肌肉和更好的生活质量. 但是，适当的锻炼 becomes extremely difficult or not even possible when their body heats 起来。”他说.
No one has researched the use of readily available neck cooling devices on MS patients during exercise, 谢尔曼 said, studies have only been conducted before and after physical activity. “使用这些 devices before activity is beneficial, but the benefits don’t last 很长时间. Using them after exercise is too late to help prolong 活动，”他解释道.
“It is crucial for those with MS to exercise in order to help their 肌肉和更好的生活质量. 但是，适当的锻炼 becomes extremely difficult or not even possible when their body heats up.”
Ross 谢尔曼, associate professor of movement science
谢尔曼 is now working with other Grand Valley faculty members to test the effects of a neck 冷却装置 on MS patients while they 执行各种任务. 在某种程度上，这是一项合作研究 possible by a $9,000 grant through Grand Valley’s Center for Scholarly 创意卓越.
Shaunna Kelder, assistant professor of occupational therapy, and Barbara Baker, associate professor of physical therapy, conduct testing in the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences on the Health 位于大急流城市中心的校园.
Danita Vander Kodde, a physician assistant in neurology at Spectrum Health Medical group, screens and assesses MS patients for the study.
谢尔曼 found a reasonably priced neck cooling collar online that he 相信将是最有效的. 设计在前面和后面较低 higher in the back, it is easy to freeze and stays cold for about 30 minutes, and most importantly, it is easy to fit and remove.
“ theory is that the device cools the blood in the carotid arteries, so just before the blood enters the brain it’s getting 直接冷却，”他说.
Preliminary data showed MS patients are able to walk and perform a little better than they would without wearing the device. 谢尔曼 hopes that as more participants are recruited and complete the study, the data will show more consistent and greater benefits with neck cooling.
Testing is currently being performed in a normal temperature environment so the researchers expect results would be more profound in a heated room or in summer environmental conditions.
谢尔曼 said there may be a secondary benefit when using the neck 冷却装置. People with MS can find it difficult to perform daily living activities, like cooking, cleaning, yard work, showering and even getting dressed when their core temperature rises.
“We don’t want to miss the bigger picture,” he said. “ 心理方面的影响可能更大. 一个人可能没有感觉 their fitness improve, but they’ll know they are able to do tasks they’ve never done before or haven’t been able to do in many years. If we can move that needle even a little, then it is a successful outcome.”
