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Cooling the neck region during exercise in the heat
Christopher James Tyler1, Caroline Sunderland
1Human and Life Sciences, Whitelands College, Roehampton University, London, United Kingdom. Chris.Tyler@roehampton.ac.uk
Journal of Athletic Training
|January 11, 2011
Summary
Cooling the neck region enhanced exercise capacity in hot environments by reducing perceived thermal strain. This allowed participants to exercise longer, reaching higher core temperatures before exhaustion.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Environmental Health
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Neck cooling can improve exercise performance in hot conditions.
- This improvement may stem from reduced thermal strain and overridden inhibitory signals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if neck cooling enhances exercise in heat by dampening perceived thermal strain.
- To investigate if this leads to overriding physiological inhibitory signals.
Main Methods:
- A crossover study involving eight endurance-trained men.
- Participants completed running tests to volitional exhaustion in a controlled hot environment.
- A cooling collar (CC) was compared against a no collar (NC) condition.
Main Results:
- Neck cooling significantly increased time to volitional exhaustion by 13.5% (p < .001).
- Cooling reduced neck skin temperature but participants reported similar perceived exertion and thermal sensation.
- Higher rectal temperatures (p = .02) and heart rates (p = .03) were tolerated with neck cooling.
Conclusions:
- Neck cooling enhances exercise capacity in the heat.
- This effect is achieved by reducing perceived thermal strain, enabling longer exercise duration.
- Individuals can tolerate higher physiological strain when the neck is cooled.
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