Responses to whole body and finger cooling before and after an Antarctic expedition

Rintamäki, Hannu; Hassi, Juhani; Smolander, Juhani; Louhevaara, Veikko; Rissanen, Sirkka; Oksa, Juha; Laapio, H.

doi:10.1007/bf00357639

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In some of the few longitudinal training studies, Purkayastha et al (1992Purkayastha et al ( , 1993 showed that the CIVD of tropical residents became more pronounced 7 weeks after they moved to an arctic region but did not reach the levels of Arctic natives. Rintamaki et al (1993) observed increased Wnger temperatures with partial general cold adaptation during immersion of the hand in 10°C water of indoor workers who spent 53 days working outdoors in Antarctica.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

The trainability and contralateral response of cold-induced vasodilatation in the fingers following repeated cold exposure

et al. 2008

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Cold-induced vasodilatation (CIVD) is proposed to be a protective response to prevent cold injuries in the extremities during cold exposure, but the laboratory-based trainability of CIVD responses in the hand remains equivocal. Therefore, we investigated the thermal response across the fingers with repeated local cold exposure of the whole hand, along with the transferability of acclimation to the fingers of the contralateral hand. Nine healthy subjects immersed their right hand up to the styloid process in 8 degrees C water for 30 min daily for 13 days. The left hand was immersed on days 1 and 13. Skin temperature was recorded on the pads of the five fingertips and the dorsal surface of the hand. The presence of CIVD, defined as an increase in finger skin temperature of 0.5 degrees C at any time during cooling, occurred in 98.5% of the 585 (9 subjects x 5 sites x 13 trials) measurements. Seven distinct patterns of thermal responses were evident, including plateaus in finger temperature and superimposed waves. The number (N) of CIVD waves decreased in all digits of the right hand over the acclimation period (P = 0.02), from average (SD) values ranging from 2.7 (1.7) to 3 (1.4) in different digits on day 1, to 1.9 (0.9) and 2.2 (0.7) on day 13. Average (SD) finger skin temperature (T (avg)) ranged from 11.8 (1.4) degrees C in finger 5 to 12.7 (2.8) degrees C in finger 3 on day 1, and then decreased significantly (P < 0.001) over the course of the training immersions, attaining values ranging from 10.8 (0.9) degrees C in finger 4 to 10.9 (0.9) degrees C in finger 2 on day 13. In the contralateral hand, N was reduced from 2.5 to 1.5 (P < 0.01) and T (avg) by approximately 2 degrees C (P < 0.01). No changes were observed in thermal sensation or comfort of the hand over the acclimation. We conclude that, under conditions of whole-hand immersion in cold water, CIVD is not trainable and may lead to systemic attenuation of thermal responses to local cooling.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

The trainability and contralateral response of cold-induced vasodilatation in the fingers following repeated cold exposure

et al. 2008

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“…Improved resistance to finger numbing was noted after 6 weeks of residence in Antarctica in a study of 7 men at Hope Bay, Antarctica (59). Increased skin temperature and decreased finger vascular resistance have also been noted following 53 days of residence in Antarctica (60). Finally, as mentioned above, Reed et al (31) noted the presence of changes in thyroid function following 20 weeks of Antarctic (summer) residence, with an associated increase in food intake while maintaining body weight homeostasis.…”

Section: Cold Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 95%

The effect of Antarctic residence on energy dynamics and aerobic fitness

Simpson

2010

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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Objective. To review the current literature that describes the effect of Antarctic residence on energy dynamics and aerobic fitness. Study design. Literature review. Methods. Published literature on energy dynamics and aerobic fitness in the polar environment was reviewed. Energy dynamics were represented by body weight, body fat, food intake and energy expenditure. Consideration was given to seasonal variation and possible explanations for the apparent high metabolic cost of Antarctic residence. The influence of cold exposure was discussed and comment was made on the differences between temperate and polar residence. Results. Food intake and energy expenditure are found to increase with Antarctic residence. There is often an associated increase in body weight and body fat. Seasonal variation is common but not universal, with an increase in body weight and body fat in winter. Variation in aerobic fitness appears to be related to the specific study sample rather than Antarctic residence per se. Conclusions. In most instances, Antarctic residence has effects on energy dynamics and aerobic fitness. Explanations for the observed changes may include physiological adaptations, such as a raised basal metabolic rate and increased thermogenesis. However, cold-induced changes are less likely when cold exposure is minimized by heated buildings and insulated clothing. Activity patterns related to work and leisure thus represent a more likely cause. The majority of the research is several decades old; further research would help to elucidate the patterns of energy dynamics of modern Antarctic workers. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2010; 69(3):220-235)

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“…Additionally, while acclimation to whole-body cooling is reasonably well documented, a participant's level of acclimation can also affect results in limb cooling studies. Rintamäki et al [9] found a substantial decrease in finger vascular resistance and a higher finger temperature after 53 days of Antarctic work. Finally, discrepancies when comparing the results of studies can also reflect differences in contraction type, muscle group and muscle fibre type composition.…”

Section: Factors Effecting Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effects of Peripheral Cooling on Characteristics of Local Muscle

Drinkwater¹

2008

Thermoregulation and Human Performance

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While humans maintain body core temperature within a strict homeostatic range, skin and peripheral muscle temperature may experience a wide temperature variation. Much of the literature investigating cooling on human performance involves cooling of the core, though many performance effects relate to cooling of the periphery. No standard method exits to investigate the effects of cooling, so protocols range across a variety of temperatures (10-42 degrees C), temperature assessment methods (skin, intramuscular), cooling mediums (air, water immersion), muscle fibre type (species, fast or slow twitch), contraction type (evoked or voluntary, isometric or dynamic), and isolated versus intact fibres. Despite these variables, there is general agreement that rate properties are slowed with almost any level of cooling thereby most substantially reducing muscle power. The slowed enzymatic processes and slowed nerve conduction that impair rate of force development also likely reduce local muscular endurance during dynamic contractions and impair manual dexterity (<35 degrees C). Both the voluntary and evoked force development capacities of muscle is unimpaired until cooling is quite severe (<27 degrees C). While most of these effects occur independently of central activation, purposeful core cooling for the purpose of improving athletic performance should be used cautiously to avoid the deleterious effects of peripheral cooling.

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Responses to whole body and finger cooling before and after an Antarctic expedition

Cited by 16 publications

References 15 publications

The trainability and contralateral response of cold-induced vasodilatation in the fingers following repeated cold exposure

The trainability and contralateral response of cold-induced vasodilatation in the fingers following repeated cold exposure

The effect of Antarctic residence on energy dynamics and aerobic fitness

Effects of Peripheral Cooling on Characteristics of Local Muscle

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