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Differences in conductive foot cooling: a comparison between males and females

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Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated possible sex-related and intra-menstrual differences in local vascular and skin temperature responses when conductive cooling was applied to the soles of the feet.

Method

Twelve females and twelve males exposed the soles of their feet to a cooling plate (which cooled from 35 to 15 °C) on two occasions 12–15 days apart. For females, sessions took place during their inactive and active contraceptive pill phases. Tip of Great toe temperature and Great toe skin blood flow were recorded throughout.

Results

Females’ feet cooled to a greater extent than males’ (P = 0.001). Sensitivity of toe skin blood flow to changes in skin temperature (1 or 2 °C) was not different between males and females. Dimensions of males’ feet were larger than females’ (P < 0.05) and correlations between foot dimensions and toe skin cooling were found (r = 0.728, P < 0.001). Analysis of the residual variance showed that foot volume, contact area and skin blood flow correlated with the rate of toe skin cooling (r = 0.812, r 2 = 0.659, P < 0.001). No intra-menstrual differences were found.

Conclusion

The feet of females cooled at a faster rate than those of males in response to the same conductive cooling stimulus to the soles of the feet. However, similar reductions in skin blood flow were found for the same change in toe skin temperature. Therefore, sex related differences may be due to the differing dimensions of the feet, but further research including males and females matched for foot dimensions are required to confirm this mechanism.

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Abbreviations

NFCI:

Non freezing cold injury

TS:

Temperature sensation

TC:

Thermal comfort

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the volunteers for their forbearance and Geoff Long, Alex Ouzounologu and Danny White for their technical support and W.L. GORE & Associates for sponsoring the research.

Conflict of interest

The authors of the study have no conflicts of interest that could be construed as influencing the position presented in this paper.

Ethical Considerations

The study was approved by the University of Portsmouth Biosciences Research Ethics Committee and conducted under the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and Council of Europe (2005) additional protocol to the convention on human rights and biomedicine concerning biomedical research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Extreme Environments Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, Spinnaker Building, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, PO1 2ER, UK

    Heather Lunt & Michael Tipton

Authors
  1. Heather Lunt
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  2. Michael Tipton
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heather Lunt.

Additional information

Communicated by George Havenith.

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Lunt, H., Tipton, M. Differences in conductive foot cooling: a comparison between males and females. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2635–2644 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2988-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2988-5

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