As the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases continues to exponentially grow in populations across the globe, the necessity of determining underlying factors, effective methods of diagnoses, and universally available preventive measures also grows. Early detection of endothelial dysfunction, a proven precursor of cardiovascular diseases, can be extremely impactful in encouraging preventative measures and early intervention before medical conditions become chronic. In recent years, ice plunging, a form of cryotherapy involving full body immersion in cold water, has gained popularity within circles of fitness and health practitioners, gaining the interest of people of all backgrounds. Certain parallels observed between the human physiological response to cold exposure and endothelial function encourage further study of the effects of ice plunging on cardiovascular health. Calibrated cuff plethysmography is a promising method of reflecting on endothelial function by measuring arterial compliance of select blood vessels. In this study, a calibrated cuff plethysmography device was built and tested for efficiency as it was used to measure compliance and cross-sectional area of the brachial artery of 14 participants 30 minutes before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after a 5-minute cold plunge in a temperature of 10°C - 15°C. Results found some significant differences between baseline measurements recorded immediately after the ice plunge and measurements recorded during reactive hyperemia conditions at normal body temperature but did not conclude that 5-minute cold-water immersion intervention had a significant impact on arterial compliance or area overall since this was a short term experiment with only acute intervention methods. The device used was concluded to effectively measure arterial compliance and area.

<p>All images in this document may not be produced without the expressed written consent of the author.</p> / <p>The innovative research method of “body mapping” was used in this study with geriatric inpatients receiving daily hæmodialysis therapy for end-stage renal disease at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.</p> <p>Five people took part in this study; three participants completed all study phases. They created three body maps each and took part in one follow up, semi-structured interview to share their experiences of body mapping. Two themes were drawn from the data: (1) body mapping gives patients a voice to communicate their experiences in the dialysis unit; and (2) body mapping makes visible participants’ illness adjustment patterns, and levels of connection, or disconnection in the dialysis unit.</p> <p>Based on the ways body mapping benefitted participants in this study, it is reasonable to suggest that this visual communication tool could be useful in other research settings, and as a clinical tool to support patients’ attention to their bodies and their interactions with healthcare providers.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)