Palm Cooling Does not Improve Running Performance
Scheadler, C. M., Saunders, N. W., Hanson, N. J., & Devor, S. T. (2013). Palm cooling does not improve running performance. International journal of sports medicine, 34(8), 732–735. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1327576
Introduction: The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of the BEX Runner palm cooling device during a combination of exercise and environmental heat stress.
Methods: Twelve subjects completed two randomly ordered time-to-exhaustion runs at 75% VO2max, 30 °C, and 50% relative humidity with and without palm cooling. Time to exhaustion runs started once the warm-up had elicited a core temperature of 37.5 °C. Heart rate, Rating of Perceived Exertion, Feeling Scale, and core temperature were recorded at 2-min intervals during each run.
Results: Time to exhaustion was longer in control than treatment (46.7±31.1 vs. 41.3±26.3 min, respectively, p<0.05); however, when warm-up time was included in analysis, there was no difference between trials for total exercise time (52.5±24.2 vs. 54.5±31.4 min, respectively). The rate-of-rise of core temperature was not different between control and treatment (0.047 vs. 0.048 °C · min−1, respectively).
Conclusions: The use of the BEX Runner palm cooling device during a run in hot conditions did not eliminate or even attenuate the rise in core temperature. Exercise time in hot conditions did not increase with the use of the palm cooling device and time to exhaustion was reduced.
Key Words: time to exhaustion, core temperature, glabrous
In Simple Terms:
This study tested whether using a palm cooling device during rest between sprints could help people run farther or feel less heat. Cooling with the device or a cold gel pack made no difference compared to no cooling. All groups had the same body temperature, heart rate, and performance. The palm cooling device did not improve sprint performance or reduce heat stress.
Uploaded by Braeden Ostepchuk, creator of the CEU-approved course 0th Law of Physiology, co-founder of Kuhler Technologies, and inventor of Kühler.