Research Needs in Aquatics

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Volume 3 | Number 1 Article 2 2009 Research Needs in Aquatics Bruce E. Becker Washington State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare Recommended Citation Becker, Bruce E. (2009) "Research Needs in Aquatics," International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education: Vol. 3 : No. 1 , Article 2. DOI: 10.25035/ijare.03.01.02 Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol3/iss1/2 This Editorial is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@BGSU. Becker: Research Needs in Aquatics International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 2009, 3, 4-9 © 2009 Human Kinetics, Inc. Research Needs in Aquatics Since my retirement from my clinical practice in 2007, and repotting myself as a research professor at Washington State University where I direct the National Aquatic & Sports Medicine Institute, I have dedicated myself to researching those questions in aquatic activity that I feel we have the capacity and skills to answer. While that has been truly invigorating to this academic wannabe, it has left me with a strong sense of frustration over the many questions that we are not currently researching or that we lack the skills, population, or technology to answer. In discussing these frustrations with Steve Langendorfer, your journal editor, the thought came to both of us that an editorial talking about these research questions might be a useful endeavor, sort of like a Craig’s List posting, hoping to find a buyer for these questions. I have organized them not by listing of importance, but rather by categorizing them into body parts, like any medical specialist would do. (After all, I was not a general practitioner; I was a left third toe specialist, sometimes getting into right elbow issues as well.) What Are the Primary Research Needs in Aquatic Activity? Organ Specific Cardiac Issues. There are a great many research needs that involve the heart. Recent research has shown quite conclusively that the aquatic environment is helpful to both health and diseased hearts (Cider, Sunnerhagen, Schaufelberger, & Andersson, 2005; Cider, Svealv, Tang, Schaufelberger, & Andersson, 2006; Meyer, 2006; Meyer & Bucking, 2004; Meyer & Leblanc, 2008; Schmid et al., 2007); however, the research is interesting, showing that even in those individuals whose indices of cardiac performance were impaired after aquatic activity, they felt better. Why might this be? There is no dose-response data on what timing, levels, and duration of aquatic activity are appropriate for the healing heart, and this is a critical area, as the potential benefits of timing cardiac rehab activity correctly could create a faster recovery and lower morbidity and mortality. The science has been done on heart failure and infarct patients, but there is no data on postsurgical patients, another important research area. Further, there may well be concerns regarding valvular insufficiency, which might worsen during immersion, because of the anatomic changes occurring with increasing cardiac volumes. To my knowledge there is no data on this, and perhaps there might be actual contraindications regarding aquatic activity in this population. Respiratory Issues. The respiratory system has been the subject of much research lately, and there is a great deal of well-done older research on the respiratory system during immersion. This research shows that there is a very substantial increase Published4by ScholarWorks@BGSU, 2009 1 International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, Vol. 3, No. 1 [2009], Art. 2 Editorial   5 in the work of breathing during immersion at rest (Agostoni, Gurtner, Torri, & Rahn, 1966; Arborelius, Balldin, Lilja, & Lundgren, 1972; Craig & Ware, 1967; Hong, Cerretelli, Cruz, & Rahn, 1969; Reid, Banzett, Feldman, & Mead, 1985; Taylor & Morrison, 1999). There is almost no research measuring the increased workload during aquatic exercise, and this is important because respiratory fatigue is a critical performance-limiting factor in athletics, but also for some chronic diseases like COPD, muscular dystrophy, and asthma. It is well established that by building endurance in the muscles of respiration, athletic performance is improved (Romer, McConnell, & Jones, 2002a, 2002b; Sheel et al., 2001; Volianitis et al., 2001). This happens by inhibiting a metabolic reflex that shuts down circulation to the lower extremities; however, this kind of respiratory endurance building also improves disease symptoms and quality of life in these chronic diseases (Belman, 1981; Belman & Gaesser, 1988; Belman & Mittman, 1980; Fry, Pfalzer, Chokshi, Wagner, & Jackson, 2007; Perk, Perk, & Boden, 1996; Topin et al., 2002). Can aquatic exercise do this? I believe so, and we have done some research into this area but much more is needed. In my opinion, this may well be the most important physiologic benefit of aquatic exercise. Musculoskeletal Issues. The physiologic benefits of offloading the joints during immersion are well known and adequately researched, but exactly what the effects of this offloading are within the joint remain enigmatic. Does this improve circulation? Does this increase synovial fluid production? Can this rebuild damaged cartilage? Are there useful temperatures and harmful ones? Cold water is used in some countries for this, but in the USA, we mostly use warm water. Why? Also, chiller tanks and cold water immersion is frequently used by sports teams as a postexercise recovery method. The literature is conflicted on this use, but the practice is increasing in frequency (Bailey et al., 2007; Crowe, O’Connor, & Rudd, 2007; Ducharme, VanHelder, & Radomski, 1991; Folland, Rowlands, Thorp, & Walmsley, 2006; Kauppinen, 1989; Nobunaga, Ishii, & Yoshida, 1996; O’Brien, Tharion, Sils, & Castellani, 2007; Peiffer, Abbiss, Nosaka, Peake, & Laursen, 2007; Vaile, Halson, Gill, & Dawson, 2008). Better research is needed. Disease Specific Diabetes. Diabetes has assumed a huge place in the health care budget of the USA. Both juvenile and adult Type 2 diabetes is greatly on the rise. Immersion may play a role in reducing insulin needs, and of course exercise is very helpful in the management of diabetes, but there is scant research on either the effects of aquatic activity and immersion on insulin needs or health protection in the management of diabetes. Research showing the effect of aquatic activity in turning back prediabetes and preventing development into full-blown diabetes would make national headlines. This may or may not be the case, but there is preliminary evidence that makes the speculation reasonable as a research hypothesis. Furthermore, can aquatic activity done regularly improve diabetic neuropathy? I have had patients tell me this, but no studies (...truncated)