Body mapping of thermoregulatory and perceptual responses of males and females running in the cold

Thermoregulatory parameters during exercise are typically reported as global responses (T and mean T). In contrast, this study investigated regional skin temperatures (T) over the body, in relation to regional skinfold thickness and regional perceptual responses for both sexes using a body-mapping approach. Nine males and nine females, of equivalent fitness, minimally clothed, ran for 40min at 70% VO2max in a 10°C, 50%rh, 2.8ms air velocity environment. T was recorded by infrared thermography and processed to obtain population-averaged body maps. Rectal temperature and heart rate were monitored continuously throughout the running trial. Skinfold thickness was obtained for 24 sites and thermal sensation votes for 11 body regions.Males and females had similar rectal temperature, heart rate and regional sensations. Whole-body maps of T highlighted the significantly lower regional T for females (-1.6°C overall, p<0.01). However, the distribution of T across the body was similar between sexes and this was not correlated with the distribution of skinfold thickness, except for the anterior torso. On the other hand, regional thermal sensation votes across the body were correlated with T distribution during exercise (females: r=0.61, males: r=0.73, p<0.05), but not at rest.Our thermographic results demonstrate the similar T distribution for active males and females during submaximal running in the cold, though shifted to a lower mean value for females. This T distribution was associated with regional sensations but not with local fat thickness. The described body-mapping approach can have implications in physiological modelling and clothing design. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.