Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2739706 | Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness | 2011 | 9 Pages |
This crossover designed study examined the influence of textile hygroscopicity on skin temperature responses during 30 minutes of continuous cycling exercise at 60% O2peak in a thermoneutral environment (20°C and 50% relative humidity) in the convective airflow presence of forced convection (4.5 ± 0.2m · s−2) and under minimal convective airflow conditions. Ten well-trained male road cyclists completed two wear trials at random in the forced convection and minimal convective airflow condition wearing a long-sleeved cycling jersey that had a split design with a strongly hygroscopic (SH) fabric (wool) on one half and a weakly hygroscopic (WH) fabric (polyester) on the other half of the garment. The cyclists' mean age was 31±5 years, mean height was 1.81 ± 0.05 m, mean body mass was 83.55 ± 10.89 kg, and mean body surface area was 2.04 ± 0.14 m2. The previously reported actions of SH fibers increasing skin temperature through the evolution of sorption heat following moisture absorption, and subsequent elevation in fabric temperature, was assessed. An effect of WH fibers to impact skin temperature through increasing stratum corneum hydration, producing more skin-to-fabric contact and skin erythema, was also investigated. Similar physiological responses in the skin, including temperature, sweating, stratum corneum hydration (inferred from skin resistance) and erythema (indicated by luminous flux), were found for both the SH and WH fabrics under wind and no wind conditions. In conclusion, the textile hygroscopicity of the test garment was not found to significantly influence skin temperature during moderate-intensity cycling exercise for 30 minutes in a thermoneutral environment under minimal wind conditions and in the presence of forced convection.