Running thermoregulation effects using bioceramics versus polyester fibres socks

Abstract

The feet, covered by socks and shoes during running, undergo an increase of temperature. The aim of this study was to reduce heat generation in the feet of athletes during running by wearing novel thermoregulatory socks impregnated with bioceramic materials. Thirty male athletes ran a half-marathon (21.0975 km) wearing polyester based with bioceramic fibres (zirconium silicate and titanium oxide) and control socks (polyester). The average temperatures were measured with a thermographic camera (FLIR e60bx) before and after the run. Nine regions of interests were evaluated in the plantar surface and eight in the dorsum. Before running, the plantar region with the highest temperature was the inner midfoot (plantar arch) with 30.3 2.1◦C on the control sock and 30.2 2.1◦C on the bioceramic one. After running, smaller temperatures were found at the plantar surface of five regions of interests: heel, inner midfoot, first and fifth metatarsal heads and first toe and all the dorsal regions of the bioceramic socks. The amount of temperature reduction from the bioceramic sock was between –1.1 and –1.3◦C in heel, inner midfoot, first MTH and first toe (plantar) and 1.3◦C at the dorsum of first and fifth toes. Polyester-based socks with bioceramic fibre materials, due to far-infrared radiation, promote cooler temperatures on the sock surface after running. This effect is more effective in heel, the inner midfoot and the first MTH and could help improve the behaviour of the sock to make it denser in bioceramics and preventing running lesions, like blisters.