March 2024

REHABILITATION

MARIANJOY COOLING VEST PROGRAM: COMBATING THERMOSENSITIVITY IN PEOPLE WITH MS

Thermosensitivity is a hypersensitivity to heat that significantly impairs physical and functional performance skills. Up to 80% of people with MS report experiencing heat sensitivity (where higher body temperatures exacerbate MS symptoms). These heat-induced symptoms may include fatigue, difficulty walking, blurry vision, balance impairments, and/or slowed cognitive processing.

New research shows that a cooling vest designed to keep the core temperature within safe levels can combat thermosensitivity. Cooling vests have been shown to increase walking capacity, visual acuity, cognitive processing and emotional well-being in heat-sensitive people with MS.

Scientists at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital aim to implement a Cooling Vest Program to address heat-induced walking reductions in thermosensitive people with MS in the inpatient therapy setting.

 ​In this week-long program, a therapist assessed changes in a participant’s walking capacity on the first and last days. To do this, they measured how far a participant can walk (in feet) without sitting. Then, participant put on the cooling vest for 30 minutes. After that, the therapist reassessed walking distance.

The therapist used these two measurements to calculate the difference in walking distance before and after icing. During days two through six, participants wore their cooling vest for 30 minutes a day.

The program found that:
  • Walking distance improved by 81% after 30 minutes of torso cooling.
  • 100% of participants report that they plan to follow up with either buying a cooling vest and/or applying to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) Cooling Distribution Program 3.

The Cooling Vest Program is a promising addition to the comprehensive range of services that Marianjoy offers. The hospital’s therapy teams are dedicated to providing the best possible care to their patients, and the Cooling Vest Program is a testament to that commitment.

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