Physiotherapy - Theses
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ItemThe effect of pool temperature on body temperature during aqua-aerobic exercise in pregnancy( 2012)Medical guidelines encourage women to exercise during pregnancy but not to overheat. Therefore many pregnant women choose to exercise in water. However, the temperature of the water may affect body temperature response to exercise. The aim of this study was to examine this response to a range of water temperatures found in community swimming pools in which women are exercising and to obtain data to inform guidelines for appropriate water temperatures when pregnant women are undertaking aqua-aerobic exercise. Thermometer selection was based on results of an initial study, Study 1, which compared an infra-red tympanic membrane thermometer and an infra-red temporal artery thermometer for their reliability to measure near core (body) temperature. A repeated measures design was used and temperatures in twenty young adults were measured before and after 15 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on a stationary bicycle. The tympanic thermometer was found to be reliable and performed better than the temporal thermometer after exercise. For Study 2, body temperature responses of 109 women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy were examined during an aqua-aerobics class. Tympanic temperature was measured at rest pre-immersion (T1), after 35 minutes of moderate intensity aqua-aerobic exercise (T2), after a further 10 minutes of light exercise and stretching while still in the water (T3) and finally on departure from the facility (T4). The range of water temperatures in seven community pools used in the study was from 28.8°C to 33.4°C. Results showed that body temperature increased by mean 0.16°C (SD 0.35) at T2, was maintained at this level at T3 and had returned to pre-immersion resting values at T4. Regression analysis demonstrated that the temperature response was not related to the temperature of the water. Covariates, air temperature and humidity, had no effect on the body temperature response. The participants were grouped according to water temperature and analysis of variance demonstrated no difference in body temperature response between the cooler, medium and warmer water temperature groups. However, the number of participants in the warmer water group was too small to make firm conclusions about water temperatures between 32.1°C and 33.4°C. The study concluded that healthy pregnant women maintain body temperatures within safe limits during moderate intensity aqua-aerobic exercise conducted in pools that are heated up to 32°C and probably up to 33°C. This study supports the British obstetric guidelines for exercise during pregnancy which state that water temperature up to 32°C is safe for aerobic exercise and suggests that the previous Australian guidelines for maximum water temperature of 28°C were too restrictive. The study has provided evidence to inform guidelines for maximal water temperatures for aqua-aerobic exercise during pregnancy.