| Keywords |
Hand surface area (HSA); Hand volume (HV); Hand heat flow; Water-perfused glove; Active and passive heating conditions |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between hand morphological factors and hand heat flow during active and passive heating. A total of 13 males and 9 females (24.4±2.3 y in age, 168.5±10.3 cm in height, 68.2±14.5 kg in weight, 1.81 ± 0.23 m2 in body surface area) participated in the following four heating conditions: exercises using a treadmill at 8 km·h?1 for males and 6 km·h?1 for females (60 min), cycle ergometer at 55 watts for males and 40 watts for females (50 rpm, 60 min), and arm ergometer at 20 watts for males and 10 watts for females (50 rpm, 60 min); and leg immersion at 42oC water (60 min). The results showed that hand heat flow was significantly related to hand volume (r =0.438, P = 0.041), but not hand surface area. The relationship was significant for males (r = 0.641, P = 0.018), not for females. Among the four heating conditions, hand heat flow had the highest value for the leg exercise. There were no relationships between hand heat flow and hand temperature, except for the leg immersion (r = 0.395, P = 0.069). These results indicate that hand volume is a significant factor to estimate hand heat flow during active or passive heating, which is marked for males rather than for females. In addition, hand heat flow was obtained more stably during leg exercise or leg immersion, which was characterized by fewer hand movements compared to the treadmill exercise or arm exercise conditions. |