Anthropometric Characteristics and Sex Influence Magnitude of Skin Cooling following Exposure to Whole Body Cryotherapy

Abstract

This study explored whether anthropometric measures influence magnitude of skin cooling following exposure to whole body cryotherapy (WBC). Height, weight, body fat percentage, and lean mass were measured in 18 male and 14 female participants. Body surface area, body surface area to mass ratio, body mass index, fat-free mass index, and fat mass index were calculated. Thermal images were captured before and after WBC (−60°C for 30 seconds, −110°C for 2 minutes). Skin temperature was measured at the chest, arm, thigh, and calf. Mean skin temperature before and after WBC and change in mean skin temperature (ΔT sk) were calculated. ΔT sk was significantly greater in females (12.07 ± 1.55°C) than males (10.12 ± 1.86°C; t(30) = −3.09, P = .004). A significant relationship was observed between body fat percentage and ΔT sk in the combined dataset (P = .002, r = .516) and between fat-free mass index and ΔT sk in males (P = .005, r = .622). No other significant associations were found. Skin response of individuals to WBC appears to depend upon anthropometric variables and sex, with individuals with a higher adiposity cooling more than thinner individuals. Effects of sex and anthompometrics should be considered when designing WBC research or treatment protocols.

Individualising the exposure of −110 °C whole body cryotherapy: The effects of sex and body composition

“…This protocol replicates previous reported times and temperatures (Dugué, Smolander et al 2005, Leppäluoto, Westerlund et al 2008, Gong, Ma et al 2011, Klimek, Lubkowska et al 2011, Hammond, Cuttell et al 2014. At the completion of the WBC exposure, participants transferred immediately to the adjacent laboratory (26°C and 33% RH) to capture the post WBC data.…”

“…The four-site equation of Ramanathan (1964) was used to determine mean skin temperature from the four temperature sites, and images were analysed using FLIR Quick Tools to establish mean skin temperature within each region of interest. In addition, predictive equations were used to measure the accuracy of change in skin temperature and sex differences (Hammond, Cuttell et al 2014 (Burton 1935) and body heat content was also calculated (Δ Hb = Δ MBT *BM*C P ); where Δ MBT is the change in mean body temperature, BM is the specific body mass (Kg) and C P is the specific heat of tissue (3.47 kj/kg/K) (Burton 1935, Jay, Gariepy et al 2007). Thermal sensation and thermal comfort were rated with a 9-point scale.…”

“…Larger skin folds have been shown to require longer ice exposure than smaller skin folds to elicit similar reductions in deep tissue temperature (Otte, Merrick et al 2002), and differences in the degree of skin temperature cooling experienced have been reported between high and low body mass index in individuals following WBC (Cholewka, Stanek et al 2012). Consistent with the link between body mass index and cooling, there have been a number of attempts to examine the impact of WBC on skin temperature (Cholewka, Drzazga et al 2006, Klimek, Lubkowska et al 2011, Cholewka, Stanek et al 2012, Hammond, Cuttell et al 2014) along with core temperature (Westerlund, Oksa et al 2003, Costello, Culligan et al 2012, heart rate and blood pressure (Westerlund, Smolander et al 2004, but with little attention paid to sexual dimorphism, morphological and protocol differences.…”

“…The majority of protocols repeatedly expose individuals to extremely cold air (-110°C to -140°C) in an environmentally controlled chamber for short periods of time (2-4 minutes) (Costello, Culligan et al 2012). WBC has been claimed to treat depression (Rymaszewska, Tulczynski et al 2003), rheumatic conditions (Hirvonen, Mikkelsson et al 2006), ankylosing spondylitiis (Banfi, Lombardi et al 2010), and exercise induced muscle damage (Hausswirth, Louis et al 2011) in both athletic and clinical populations (Hammond, Cuttell et al 2014). A range of claims based on thermoregulatory responses have been stated about the benefits of WBC, however, the evidence supporting these claims is limited in both quality and statistical power (Costello, Culligan et al 2012).…”

“…It was hypothesised that greater reductions in tissue temperature would be observed in females. Additionally, in an attempt to establish a best practice for individualised WBC treatments a secondary aim was to explore predictive equations (Hammond, Cuttell et al 2014) for the reduction in skin temperature following exposure.…”