Ergonomic mastectomy bra design: Effect on core body temperature and thermal comfort performance

Leung，Kaoru1; Shin，Kristina1; Han，Fred2; Jiao，Jiao3

2021

10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103249

APPLIED ERGONOMICS   影响因子和分区

0003-6870

1872-9126

The accumulation of sweat and heat between the skin and the prosthesis is one of the common causes of discomfort experienced by post-mastectomy women who wore silicone-type external breast prostheses. This study aimed 1) to investigate the effect of a newly designed heat-reduction mastectomy bra on the thermal responses and thermal comfort performance; and 2) to propose an evaluation protocol for post-mastectomy products. The heat-reduction bra and the conventional bra were made of the same textile materials but the cup of the bra under discussion had a polyurethane cup with a perforated structure along the breast root/inframammary fold. The inframammary fold is often aggravated by heat, sweat, maceration, chafe, and lack of air circulation. Nine healthy male participants were recruited to participate in the study since the women who had undergone double-mastectomy were sensitive about their scars. An ingestible telemetric pill sensor was used to collect the data of core body temperature. Participants performed a 70-min five-phase exercise protocol wearing the heat-reduction bra and the conventional bra together with a silicone prosthesis with ventilation holes on the bottom. Physiological responses (i.e., core body temperature, skin temperature, temperature between bra and prosthesis, skin humidity and humidity between bra and prosthesis) and subjective sensation responses were measured. The results were statistically significant and the conventional mastectomy bra showed a higher core body temperature than that of the heat-reduction mastectomy bra (37.3 ± 0.3 °C to 38.2 ± 0.5 °C vs. 37.2 ± 0.3 °C to 38.0 ± 0.3 °C) starting from the middle of the sitting phase to the running phase and post-exercise resting (F = 164.2, p < 0.001). Both factors, the bra and the phase, have significant effects on the core body temperature (F = 14.5, p < 0.001). The heat-reduction mastectomy bra demonstrated optimum thermal comfort performance in both the temperature and humidity than the conventional mastectomy bra.

Breast cancer Core body temperature Heat-reduction Mastectomy bra Thermal comfort performance

SCI ; EI ; SSCI

英语

其他

General Research Fund of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council[PolyU 5269/10E] ; Hong Kong Polytechnic University[BQ21T]

Engineering ; Psychology

Engineering, Industrial ; Ergonomics ; Psychology, Applied

WOS:000582799900017

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

20203609126466

Physiological models ; Silicones ; Physiology ; Thermal comfort

Biology:461.9 ; Prosthetics:462.4 ; Space Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning:643 ; Organic Polymers:815.1.1

ENGINEERING

2-s2.0-85090012822

Scopus

1.Institute of Textiles and Clothing,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Hong Kong
2.School of System Design and Intelligent Manufacturing,Southern University of Science and Technology,China
3.Dr Stephen Hui Research Centre for Physical Recreation and Wellness,Hong Kong Baptist University,Hong Kong

Leung，Kaoru,Shin，Kristina,Han，Fred,et al. Ergonomic mastectomy bra design: Effect on core body temperature and thermal comfort performance[J]. APPLIED ERGONOMICS,2021,90.

Leung，Kaoru,Shin，Kristina,Han，Fred,&Jiao，Jiao.(2021).Ergonomic mastectomy bra design: Effect on core body temperature and thermal comfort performance.APPLIED ERGONOMICS,90.

Leung，Kaoru,et al."Ergonomic mastectomy bra design: Effect on core body temperature and thermal comfort performance".APPLIED ERGONOMICS 90(2021).