New US institute to study aquatic health

Thanks to a $US1 million grant from the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF), Washington State University (WSU) researchers plan to create the National Aquatics and Sports Medicine Institute (NASMI). “This will be the world’s premier centre for aquatic health research,” says institute director, Dr Bruce Becker, a physician and research professor at WSU. “There is no other lab with this mission and focus.”

 

The initial research will be designed to fill the knowledge gaps of how water benefits hearts, lungs and endocrine systems. The research is driven by the need to know more about the effects of aquatic exercise not only on general health and well being, but on specific medical conditions such as asthma, hypertension, osteoporosis and obesity.