Experimental study on skin temperature and thermal response of the foot-bather

Although warm footbath has been widely enjoyed in many Asian countries, little information is known about its effect on people’s thermal responses. This paper experimentally investigated the variations in objective and subjective thermal responses of foot bathers during summer and winter. The subjective thermal responses of foot bathers (12 males and 11 females) were collected by questionnaire, and their body skin temperatures were measured at seven locations. Due to blood circulation, the heat gained from immersed feet could affect other body parts, while the thermal effect of warm footbath varied in different body parts. The results indicate that the footbath could cause marked increases in the thermal sensation of feet, legs and overall body. Participants feel more comfortable at the early stage than other stages during footbath, even though the water temperature is constant. Higher water temperature is expected by the participants to remain footbath comfort. Additionally, noticeable differences in skin temperature and subjective human responses of the male and the female foot bathers were observed. This study demonstrates that the females’ foot is more sensitive to warm footbath than those of males. It can be concluded that warm footbath contributes to more satisfaction of thermal environment especially in winter and that males were likely to be more acceptable with footbath than females.