Skin Temperature, Thermal Comfort, And Thermal Sensation For Firefighters Exercising In The Heat

PURPOSE: The present experiment explored the relationship between skin temperature, thermal comfort, and thermal sensation during exercise in a hyperthermic environment while wearing firefighter personal protective equipment. Previous literature has linked elevated skin temperature to cognitive performance decrements. Additionally, research has linked a reduction in core-to-skin temperature gradient to impaired aerobic exercise capacity. Here, we hypothesized that thermal comfort and sensation would correlate to skin temperature. METHODS: Thirteen participants (12 male, 1 female) performed a graded-exercise walking treadmill task in an environmental chamber (35 °C; 50% humidity) while wearing firefighter personal protective equipment. The exercise was terminated upon completing the protocol or reaching a volitional maximum. Thermal comfort (scale: 1 - 5; 1 = comfortable, 5 = extremely uncomfortable) and thermal sensation (scale: 1 - 9; 1 = unbearably cold, 9 = very hot) were calculated using validated scales (Gagge et al., 1967), and skin temperature was measured using a valid and reliable physiological monitoring system. RESULTS: The correlation between skin temperature (mean: 35.2 ± 1.8 °C) and thermal sensation (mean: 6.9 ± 1.5) was significant (p < 0.001) and moderate (Dancey & Reidy, 2007) (Pearson’s r = 0.56). The correlation between skin temperature (mean: 35.2 ± 1.8 °C) and thermal comfort (mean: 2.4 ± 1.1) was also significant (p < 0.001) and moderate (Dancey & Reidy, 2007) (Pearson’s r = 0.62). CONCLUSION: This research demonstrated a moderate correlation between skin temperature and thermal comfort and skin temperature and thermal sensation while exercising in a hyperthermic environment while wearing firefighter personal protective equipment. Therefore, thermal comfort and thermal sensation can be used as moderate indicators of skin temperature. This discovery has implications for cognition and aerobic capacity in the firefighting arena.