Search

Eight young women wearing non-waterproof and waterproof shoes in cold and wet conditions were examined to investigate the effects on physiological responses and subjective symptoms. In this report, the subjects were kept resting in the sitting position on a chair about 20 minutes in a climatic chamber with a temperature of 15.0±0.5°C, and a relative humidity of 50±5%. They were then measured in the same sitting position for 5 minutes. Next, subjects' right legs were immersed in water at 10°C for 5 minutes and their physiological responses and subjective sensations were evaluated. The rise in blood pressure, decrease in pulse, the decrease in temperature of the toe skin and decrease in the skin blood flow after immersion were significant in non-waterproof shoes. However, only a significant decrease in the skin blood flow was found from wearing waterproof shoes. As for subjective sensation, there was an uncomfortable feeling following immersion even if subjects put back on their shoes. These results suggest that the rise in blood pressure can be suppressed by wearing waterproof shoes though the uncomfortable feeling after the immersion in water was retained whether the waterproof shoes or non-waterproof shoes were worn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]