Effects of Partial Isothermic Immersion on the Spirometry Parameters of Tetraplegic Patients

Water activities play an important role in the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury. Immersion in isothermal water at shoulder level, under strictly controlled experimental conditions, reduces the vital capacity of normal individuals, while it improves in a group of patients with tetraplegia. The observed phenomenon seems to be mediated by an improvement in breathing mechanics, impaired by cervical cord injury.