The hijab (headscarf and cloak) is a Muslim dress, which covers the head, neck and chest, and conceals the female hair, leaving the face uncovered. It is worn by Muslim women worldwide including young Muslim women engaging in sports and exercise. As with any clothing worn on the body, the hijab can impact heat dissipation during exercise, potentially leading to increased body temperature and discomfort, especially in warmer environments. However, the extent to which the hijab may restrict heat loss remains unclear. This study aims to assess dry and evaporative heat exchange in young women performing moderate-intensity intermittent exercise in dry heat conditions (40°C, 15% relative humidity).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
12
Participants perform exercise in the heat with no hijab
Participants perform exercise in the heat with a hijab
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGEvaporative heat loss at end exercise
Evaporative heat loss as assessed using a direct air calorimeter
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Dry heat loss at end exercise
Dry heat loss as assessed using a direct air calorimeter
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Total heat loss at end exercise
Total heat loss as assessed using a direct air calorimeter
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Body heat storage
Heat stored in the body for each of the exercise bouts
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Change in body heat content
Body heat content measured at the end of intermittent exercise
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Core temperature
Rectal temperature during final 5 minutes of each of the exercise bouts
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Mean skin temperature
Mean skin temperature during final 5 minutes of each of the exercise bouts
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Relative change in core temperature at end exercise
Relative increase in core temperature for each 30-minute exercise bout
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Relative change in mean skin temperature at end exercise
Relative change in mean skin temperature for each 30-minute exercise bout
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Heart rate
Heart rate during final 5 minutes of each of the exercise bouts
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Rating of perceived exertion
Perceived exertion assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (scale is as follows: 6: indicating the participant is not exerting themselves at all with 20 indicating participant is exerting themselves maximally)
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Thermal sensation A
Thermal sensation assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (scale is as follows: 7-point scale; -3 indicating the participant is cold to +3 indicating the participant is hot)
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Thermal sensation B
Thermal sensation assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (scale is as follows: 7-point scale; 0 indicating the participant is neutral to 7 indicating the participant is extremely hot)
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
Thirst sensation
Thirst sensation assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (scale is as follows: 9-point scale; 1 indicating the participant is not thirsty at all to 9 indicating the participant is very, very thirsty)
Time frame: End of the 60-min intermittent exercise bout
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