Kaufman Cecilia E, Morrissey-Basler Margaret C, Marcelino Monique, Casa Douglas J
Department of Kinesiology, Korey Stringer Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.
Department of Health Sciences, Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Am J Ind Med. 2025 Jul;68(7):607-619. doi: 10.1002/ajim.23734. Epub 2025 May 14.
Body cooling is a low-cost heat strain mitigation strategy to effectively reduce heat strain and enhance work performance. However, data on the efficacy of body cooling strategies remains limited. We aimed to examine the effects of body cooling with cooling garments on physiological, perceptual, and performance outcomes during simulated work in the heat in men and women.
Fourteen physically active participants (seven men and seven women; age: 26 ± 3 years, peak oxygen consumption [VOpeak]: 42.7 ± 7.9 mL kg min) completed two randomized control trials in a hot, humid environment (40°C, 40% relative humidity). During the body cooling trial (COOL), participants wore cooling garments (hat, sleeves, neck gaiter), and large cooling towels during rest breaks. There was no cooling intervention in the control trial (CON). Rectal temperature (T), skin temperature (T), and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously. Performance outcomes included the number of boxes lifted during the trial (BOX) and the time to complete 25 repetitions (TT25) post-trial.
There was a significant interaction between trial and activity with COOL reporting overall lower T (CON: 38.40 ± 0.46°C; COOL: 38.08 ± 0.31°C; p < 0.001), T (CON: 37.20 ± 0.72°C; COOL: 35.52 ± 1.52°C; p < 0.001), and HR (CON: 145 ± 17 bpm; COOL: 133 ± 24 bpm; p < 0.001). There was a significant interaction between the number of boxes lifted and trial during BOX 1 and 3 (BOX 1: p = 0.010; BOX 3: p = 0.001). Significant differences between mean TT25 (CON: 169 ± 34 s; COOL: 149 ± 32 s; p = 0.011) were reported between trials.
Body cooling garments reduced physiological responses while improving performance during simulated work in heat and should be considered an effective, low-cost strategy to protect laborers from heat strain.
身体降温是一种低成本的减轻热应激策略，可有效降低热应激并提高工作表现。然而，关于身体降温策略效果的数据仍然有限。我们旨在研究在炎热环境中模拟工作期间，穿着冷却服装进行身体降温对男性和女性生理、感知及工作表现结果的影响。
14名身体活跃的参与者（7名男性和7名女性；年龄：26±3岁，峰值耗氧量[VOpeak]：42.7±7.9毫升·千克·分钟）在炎热潮湿的环境（40°C，40%相对湿度）中完成了两项随机对照试验。在身体降温试验（COOL）期间，参与者在休息时穿着冷却服装（帽子、袖子、颈部围脖）和大的冷却毛巾。对照试验（CON）中没有进行冷却干预。连续测量直肠温度（T）、皮肤温度（T）和心率（HR）。工作表现结果包括试验期间搬运的箱子数量（BOX）以及试验后完成25次重复动作的时间（TT25）。
试验与活动之间存在显著交互作用，COOL组的总体T较低（CON组：38.40±0.46°C；COOL组：38.08±0.31°C；p<0.001），T较低（CON组：37.20±0.72°C；COOL组：35.52±1.52°C；p<0.001），HR较低（CON组：145±17次/分钟；COOL组：133±24次/分钟；p<0.001）。在BOX 1和3期间，搬运箱子的数量与试验之间存在显著交互作用（BOX 1：p = 0.010；BOX 3：p = 0.001）。试验之间报告的平均TT2（CON组：169±34秒；COOL组：149±32秒；p = 0.011）存在显著差异。
在炎热环境中模拟工作期间，身体冷却服装可降低生理反应，同时提高工作表现，应被视为保护劳动者免受热应激的一种有效、低成本策略。
