Forehead skin temperature and thermal sensation during exercise in cool and thermoneutral environments.

BACKGROUND

The influence of forehead and mean skin temperature on thermal sensation during exercise in hot, cool, and thermoneutral environments is unclear.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesized that forehead temperature, in contrast to other skin sites, would contribute significantly to thermal sensation during exercise in hot, cool, and thermoneutral environments.

METHOD

Volunteer males (N = 14) performed 30 min of constant load exercise on a cycle ergometer during which thermal sensation, skin and rectal temperatures, and heart rate were collected. Each subject participated in a control (24 degrees C), hot (40 degrees C), and cool (8 degrees C) condition.

RESULTS

Significantly higher mean skin temperatures occurred during exercise in the hot condition (M = 37.22 +/- 0.20 degrees C) compared to exercise in the neutral (M = 33.34 +/- 0.51 degrees C) and cool conditions (M = 27.92 +/- 0.22 degrees C). Forehead skin temperature in the neutral and cool conditions was significantly greater than forearm, hand, thigh, and calf skin temperatures (p < 0.05). In the hot condition, forehead temperature was significantly greater than back, chest, upper arm, and hand skin temperatures (p < 0.05). In contrast to the neutral and hot conditions, forehead skin temperature was significantly associated with thermal sensation during exercise in the cool condition (r consistently > 0.67).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that forehead skin temperature, in contrast to other skin sites, contributed significantly to thermal sensation during exercise in the cool.