Skin temperature of physically active elderly and young women measured using infrared thermography

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the skin temperature (Tsk) of old and young women, both physically active, using thermography, and observe the Tsk variation between body sides of each group evaluated. Sixty physical active women, thirty young Physical Education students (young group = YG; age: 21.8 ± 2.3 yrs.) and thirty older women (aged group = AG; age: 71.0 ± 7.5 yrs.) were selected to participate in the study. Tsk was measured using an infrared camera in 22 regions of interest (ROI). The results showed that in 15 of 22 of ROI compared, the older group had higher skin temperature than the people of the young, representing 68% of the analyzed areas. Regarding the differences between contralateral sides of the body, in 10 of the 20 analyzed ROI were obtained significant differences (p<0.05). In conclusion, regardless of age group there is a bilateral thermal symmetry usually less than 0.5°C both in young and elderly women. Elderly women show higher Tsk values than young women in most ROI mainly in distal regions of the limbs.