AN EVALUATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF EXERCISE ON A TREADMILL IMMERSED IN COOL WATER FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS, AND THE MODIFICATION OF THE TREADMILL EQUIPMENT TO ENHANCE SUCH EXERCISE.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PHASE I INVESTIGATION IS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF MULITIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS (MSP) TO PERFORM EXERCISE ON SPECIALLY MODIFIED TREADMILL IMMERSED IN COOL WATER (AQUACISER SYSTEM). THE AQUACISER SYSTEM WILL BEMODIFIED TO PROVIDE 48" (VS 40") OF WATER DEPTH, COOL (VS HOT) WATER FOR HEAT DISSIPATION AND PHYSICAL SUPPORT AP-PARATUS FOR MSP DURING VARIOUS EXERCISE INTENSITIES. THE THE MODIFIED AQUACISER SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED AND ITS FEASIBILITY FOR MSP WILLBE TESTED BY THE MEDICAL STAFF AT THE JIMMIE HUEGA CENTER (JHC) LOCATED IN VAIL, COLORADO. JHCCURRENTLY CONDUCTS MEDICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICE PROGRAMS FORMSP CONSISTING OF STANDARD NEUROLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND EXCER-CISE EVALUATIONS. IF EXERCISE CAN BE PERFORMED WITHOUT HEATBUILDUP OR COMPLICATIONS BY MSP ON THE MODIFIED AQUACISER SYSTEM, THEN LARGE-SCALE RESEARCH MAY BE CONDUCTED (PHASE 11AT VARIOUS MEDICAL CENTERS WITH GREATER NUMBERS OF MSP. THISEXPANDED RESEARCH WILL INCLUDE THE DETERMINATION OF PHYSIO- LOGIC RESPONSES OF MSP TO GRADED EXERCISE UNDER THIS CONDI- TION INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE EXPANDED INVESTIGATIONS WILL PROVIDE CLINICIANS WITH EVIDENCE UPON WHICH TO BASE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THIS TYPE OF EXERCISE IN THEIR MSP.