CMU student seeks to help with heat acclimation in a safer way

Christiana Donkor, a student in the Masters of Exercise Physiology program, is researching if the effects of hot water immersion will be enough to elicit heat acclimation changes in the body. She is working under the supervision of Dr. Micah Zuhl, a faculty member in the School of Health Sciences.

Since beginning her program, Ms. Donkor has been interested in understanding how the body reacts to exercise in different environments, like heat. Athletes who are not used to competing in hot conditions must train to do so. This type of training may be expensive and hard on the body. Ms. Donkor is testing to see if submerging the body in hot water before exercise will create the same changes as in training in hot temperatures. Testing is done over 3 - 5 consecutive days, where the athlete is immersed from the neck down in hot water at 40 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes after 20 minutes of exercise or 40 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes without exercise. Afterward, Ms. Donkor measures the athlete’s core temperature, circulation of heat shock proteins, and heart rate during exercise. This research could impact future training and protocols for athletes needing to train for warmer environments by providing a new, less expensive, and safer way of training.

Ms. Donkor chose CMU because of its diversifying nature, welcoming environment, and research labs. She stated, “The faculty and research labs ignited my interest, [and] everybody, regardless of who you are or where you come from is welcomed.” The Exercise Physiology program has expanded her knowledge to help people, which has given her a sense of joy and accomplishment.

As a result of her research, Ms. Donkor will be reporting her findings at the 8th Annual Research Symposium in The Herbert H. & Grace A Dow College of Health Professions on April 9, 2024, from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Research across the health professions will be presented by faculty, staff, and students.

Ms. Donkor is expected to graduate in May 2025. CMU is eager to see the impact of her work on the future. “The experience I will gain in this research will help me design similar studies in the future,” Ms. Donkor stated. By giving students hands-on experiences that have real-world significance, they graduate much more prepared for the future.