George Churchill Research Proposal SSP200

The effects of textile materials on body temperature and heart rate of a

semi professional footballer

Introduction
The aim of this study would be to examine the relationship between the different
physiological parameters such as body temperature and heart rate when wearing different
textile materials during exercise under the influence of slight wind in a warm
environment (to simulate warm football conditions).

The performance of a sports athlete does not always come down to mental factors and
talent, there are other barriers put in front of an athlete. The environment in which they
participate in can put huge pressure on even the fittest of sportsmen’s bodies, the role of
balancing body core temperature to prevent fatigue and heat stroke can involve the textile
materials worn by the athlete.

Clothing acts as an interactive barrier for thermal balance, providing heat transfer with
the environment to keep the body core temperature normal. Physical properties of
clothing materials can effect this facilitation, the spacing around the body provided by the
clothing must also be planned right to keep a steady transfer of heat with the
environment.

Hypothesis
Endurance is an important part of this study and the clothing textiles to be used in this
study can have an impact on the body temperature. If the textiles worn prevent heat loss
then the core temperature will be affected and could cause fatigue to the muscles and also
damage any impact the blood flow has on body temperature.

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Literature Review
According to Gavin (2003) the increase in muscular activity during exercise causes an
increase in heat production, this is due to the inefficient metabolic reactions that are
involved in providing the necessary energy the muscles need to produce the force needed
during the exercise. When ambient temperature is close to body temperature heat loss via
blood flow in the skin is minimal. The body is then almost entirely dependent on
evaporative cooling. Inappropriate clothing will impair convection and radiation of heat
from the body surface, so that total heat dissipation will be reduced to a critically low
level Gleeson M (1998).

The body core temperature is tightly regulated, this is regardless of the environment we
live in which can be hot or cold (Kwon et al, 1998). Sweat must be evaporated from the
body surface in order to exert a cooling effect on the body. It has been shown that the
stability of core temperature is dependant upon the balance of heat production together
with heat gain from the environment and loss to the environment through the transfer of
heat by conduction, convection, radiation and evaporation (Ingram & Mount, 1975).

The rate of water evaporation (and subsequent heat loss) is dependant upon the air
velocity and skin-clothing-ambient air vapour pressure gradients (Berglund & Gonzalez,
1977). If clothing is inappropriate and therefore interferes with the evaporation of sweat
from the skin, then an increase in skin and core temperature will happen and therefore the
cooling down efficiency that naturally takes place will reduce (Pascoe, Shanley & Smith,
1994). Given that evaporation is the most important mechanism for heat dissipation
during exercise, clothing that poses the least amount of resistance to evaporation may
prove beneficial. Therefore the effects of different clothing on body temperature will be
measured during this testing.

Water vapour pressure plays a significant role in the evaporation of sweat (heat loss). It
is important in this study that the participants are kept hydrated and do not consume any
diuretics before the tests. If the textile materials the participants wear are poorly

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ventilated then humidity of the air close to the bodies surface will have a reduced flow
meaning the sweat will drip off the skin rather then evaporate. This will restrict heat loss
from the body and core temperature will rise and dehydrate the athletes and prevent the
ability to thermoregulate (keep body temperature constant). A reduction in the rate of
sweat because of dehydration will lead to a rise in core temperature and also cause
injuries to the athlete through fatigue.

Another mechanism of thermoregulation during exercise in a warm environment is the

flow of blood through the skin capillaries that allows loss of heat from the body core
through the environment by radiation and convection. The rate of heat transfer away
from the body core is the product of the skin blood flow and the temperature difference
between the core and the skin. The important part of heat loss via blood flow is the
amount of body surface available for heat exchange with the environment and the
temperature gradient between the body and the surrounding atmosphere. The role of
hydration also plays a significant part of blood flow which in turn can affect body
temperature greatly. It is important that body fluid is maintained whilst exercising in a
warm environment to avoid dehydration.

Methodology (ethics, sample, method of data collection, analysis)

The study will require 20 male subjects who participate in regular physical activity and
who play semi professional football. This is to keep fitness levels of the participants on a
close level to each other. The purpose of the study will be fully explained to the subjects,
this will include any risks involved and what is expected of them. A consent form will
need signing from each subject. This form will explain everything and also tell the
subjects they have the right to non-participation. The consent form will require the
subjects to list there age, height, weight and body surface area (bsa) to aid the study. All
data collected will be kept confidential and all subjects have the right to access there
results if requested.

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The temperature of the skin will be recorded from each participant using thermistors
taped at the relevant sites that include the forehead, hand, chest, lower back, foot,
pectorals, quads, soleus site and wrist extensors. The rectal temperature will also be
measured using a thermistor probe inserted 12 centimetres beyond the anal sphincter
(Kwon, 1998). The surface of the clothing will also be measured for temperature using
thermistors.

A climatic chamber with a controlled temperature of 30ºC, relative humidity of 50% and
air velocity of 0.14m·s-1 would be maintained for at least 2 hours prior to the study
(Kwon, 1998). The subjects would enter the chamber wearing only their under clothing
and the required measurements and thermistors would be attached. Each subject would
be given a different piece of clothing on three different days.

Once the body temperature has been stabilised, the subject will have a heart rate monitor
attached to them and then the experiment can then begin. After a 15 minute rest, a 45
minute soccer treadmill programme that completes various intensities including rest
would be completed. This 45 minute programme is to simulate a full half of football
where the athlete will run at different paces during the game and also have brief rests
such as walking to keep it as realistic as possible to a real game situation.

Before the experiment sessions, the VO2max would be determined using the Astrand
treadmill test. The intensity of exercise used during the study would be 40% of VO2max. At
the beginning and end of each experiment, the body mass of the subjects and the mass of
the clothing would be measured using balances.

The skin temperature would be calculated from the Hardy-Dubas (1938) equation and
heat storage would be calculated using Kwon et al (1998) equation. The materials being
used will be cotton (A), polyester (B) and a cotton/wool blend (C). These will be cleaned
without any detergent to take away and prevent any factors to the textiles during the
experiment. The statistical significances between the means would be assessed using a

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two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), for clothing A versus B,

clothing B versus C and clothing A versus C.

A paired sample t-test would be used to show the change in the mass of the garments, loss
of body mass, heat storage and pulse rate. A P-value less than 0.05 would be considered
statistically different.

Limitations & Delimitation (practical and ethical)

To keep the study delimitated the subjects will all be semi pro footballers from the same
team, so they all have similar training patterns and fitness levels. Although they are
similar they will not be alike, these can include limitations such as personality matters,
how they deal with situations can differ greatly. One limitation that cannot be controlled
is the learning of the subjects, the procedures will be explained clearly to all the
participants but what cannot be prevented is the rate at which they absorb all the
information. It is important that all subjects stay hydrated so the results are more
realistic. The body is made up of 60% water and is needed to help blood circulation and
maintain body temperature.

The most important delimitation of this testing is the clothing, it should not be worn
loosely because that can create a chimney effect, with air being trapped between the
clothing and the body causing temperature to be unreliable due to poor ventilation
therefore making the validity of the study a problem. The clothing will be made up of
three items, a long sleeve shirt, full length trousers and socks. The Clothing will also be
left stabilised in the chosen environment before each subject wears them to prevent any
temperature changes within the textiles.

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George Churchill Research Proposal SSP200

Action Plan/Timescale
Week1
Research on some topic proposals and find some relevant materials such as articles and
books and journals that might progress the proposal question.

Week 2
Find some literature that explains the process of body temperature and what affects this.
Assess what subjects will be most suited to take part in the testing.

Week 3
Finish the introduction for the research question and look into limitations and
delimitations of the proposed research.

Week 4
Look into the ethics of the study and how the data will be collected, what limitations and
delimitations will be to this.

Week 5
Investigate the different types of clothing available in sports and the environments that
cause most cause for concern in high standard of performance. Use all data collected
from literature research and complete literature review.
Week 6
Work on hypothesis and finalise method of data collection to be used on the chosen
subjects. Finish proposal.

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References
Fourt, L., & Hollies, N.R.S. (1970) Clothing considered as a system interacting with the
body. In: Rebenfeld, L. (Ed.) Clothing: Comfort and Function. Dekker. New York

Gavin, T.P. (2003) Clothing and Thermoregulation during Exercise. Sports Medicine;
941-947

Gleeson M (1998). Temperature regulation during exercise. International Journal of

Sports Medicine 96-99

Hardy, J.D., & Dubas (1938) The technique of measuring radiation and convection.
Journal of Nutrition; 461-475.

Pascoe, D.D., Shanley, L.A., & Smith, E.W. (1994) Clothing and exercise I: biophysics of
heat transfer between the individual, clothing and environment. Sports Medicine;18

Web Sites
http://www.exrx.net/
http://www.pnas.org/
http://www.scribd.com