Thermal insulation character of fabric gloves: A preliminary study in normal subjects and Scleroderma patients

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by autoimmune overactivation, excessive collagen proliferation, deposition, and microvascular endothelium structure damage. The disease cause dysfunction and deformity of organ systems especially hand functions. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine thermal insulation character of 6 types of fabric consisted of cotton, polyester, nylon, polypropylene, flannel, and acrylic on the immediate and sustained effects after paraffin bath on alteration of skin temperature of the hand in both healthy subjects and patients with scleroderma. Fourteen volunteers participated in this study were divided into 2 groups; the healthy group (n = 7) and the systemic sclerosis group (n = 7). Each of them had the left hand heated in a paraffin bath at 40 ^o C and rest for 20 minutes while the right hand was unheated. Immediately after heating, both hands were randomly put on a type of gloves for 10 minutes. Alteration of hand temperature was investigated at pre, immediately post paraffin removal, and 10 minutes after gloving. The results revealed that nylon fabric provided the best insulation by maintaining hand temperature until 10 minutes, followed by acrylic, polypropylene, flannel, polyester, and cotton respectively. The healthy group showed left hand temperature significant increased after 20 minutes (P < 0.05) and sustained until 10 minute after gloving (P < 0.05) whereas the systemic sclerosis group showed the effect only after 20 minute of paraffin bath (P < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that gloving may not be sufficient to maintain hand temperature in patients with SSc.  �a @���5(o-spacerun:yes'> Therefore, breathing exercise with BreatheMAX is more effective and beneficial for breathing training in elderly. para�9r @���5(d between groups, respectively. After treatment, the VAS scores reduced in both the PT (-3.64 ± 2.31) and TTM (-4.64 ± 1.98) groups. Knee extensor strength was increased in both knees of the two groups whereas knee flexor strength was found to be increased only in both knees of the TTM group.  However, there was no statistically significant difference when compared between the two treatment groups except the knee flexor strength where the TTM group showed a significantly greater than those of the PT group (P< 0.05).  This study shows that both the home-self care with a class-based PT and TTM programs for 8 weeks could yield positive effects on knee pain and knee muscles strength.