RECTAL AND ESOPHAGEAL TEMPERATURES DURING UPPER AND LOWER BODY EXERCISE1200:

This study investigated the question: Does temperature measured simultaneously in the rectum and esophagus during upper and lower body exercise provide the same estimate of core temperature (Tcore)? Healthy men were allocated to 3 groups: treadmill ergometry (T) N=4, cycle ergometry (C) N=6 and arm crank ergometry (AC) N=5. Subjects underwent an incremental exercise test to exhaustion on an exercise specific ergometer to determine˙VO2max. One week later subjects exercised for 36 mins on the same ergometer at approximately 65% ˙VO2max while temperature in the rectum (Tre) and esophagus (Tes) was simultaneously measured. The˙VO2max (l.min-1) for T (4.76 ± 0.50) and C (4.35± 0.30) groups were significantly higher than the AC group (2.6± 0.24). ˙VEmax (l.min-1) was significantly higher in the T (134 ± 13.1) and C (132 ± 9) groups than the AC (96± 2.5) group. At rest, Tre was significantly higher than Tes in all groups (P<0.05). At the end of submax exercise, Tre (38.32 ± 0.11°C) was significantly higher than Tes (38.02 ± 0.12°C) in group C. No significant differences between Tre and Tes at the end of exercise were noted for AC and T groups. At a similar relative intensity (65%˙VO2 max), Tes between the T (38.22 ± 0.14°C) and C(38.02 ± 0.12°C) groups was not significantly different, but the Tes (37.31 ± 0.17°C) in AC group was significantly lower than all other groups. In summary, Tes and Tre do not provide the same estimate of Tcore during cycling, but during arm cranking and running, Tes and Trec are not significantly different.