title: Exercise-associated thermographic changes in young and elderly subjects.
abstract: This study aimed at evaluating the thermographic changes associated with localized exercise in young and elderly subjects. An exercise protocol using 1 kg load was applied during 3 min to the knee flexors of 14 elderly (67 +/- 5 years) and 15 young (23 +/- 2 years) healthy subjects. The posterior thigh's skin temperature of the exercised limb and contralateral limb were measured by infrared thermography on pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and during the 10-min period post-exercise. Difference (p < 0.01) between elderly and young subjects was observed on pre-exercise temperature. Although differences were not observed between pre-exercise and immediately post-exercise temperature in the exercised limb, thermographic profile displayed heat concentration in exercised areas for both groups. Temperature reduction was only observed for the young group on the 10-min post-exercise (p < 0.05) in the exercised limb (30.7 +/- 1.7 to 30.3 +/- 1.5 degrees C). In contrast, there was a temperature reduction post-exercise (p < 0.01) in the contralateral limb for both groups. These results present new evidences that elderly and young subjects display similar capacity of heat production; however, the elderly subjects presented a lower resting temperature and slower heat dissipation. This work contributes to improve the understanding about temperature changes in elderly subjects and may present implications to the sports and rehabilitation programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil. jamacy@gmail.com
authors.forename: José J A
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Lorena C S
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.forename: Luiz A O
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Antônio C C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Andrade Filho
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rebelatto
authors.forename: Tania F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Salvini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*