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. 2015 Aug;27(8):2637-40.
doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.2637. Epub 2015 Aug 21.

Effects of different sitting positions on skin temperature of the lower extremity

Seung Namkoong  1 , JeMyung Shim  1 , SungJoong Kim  1 , JungMyo Shim  2
Affiliations

Effects of different sitting positions on skin temperature of the lower extremity

Seung Namkoong et al. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of different sitting positions on the skin temperature of the lower extremity. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 23 healthy university students (8 males, 15 females). [Methods] Normal sitting (NS), upper leg cross (ULC) and ankle on knee (AOK) positions were conducted to measure the changes in skin temperature using digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI). [Results] ULC upper ankle, NS upper shin, ULC upper shin and NS lower shin showed significant declines in temperature with time. [Conclusion] These finding suggest that the ULC and NS sitting positions cause decline of blood flow volume to the lower extremity resulting in decrease of temperature of the lower extremity. Especially, sitting with the legs crossed interferes with the circulation of blood flowing volume much more than just sitting in a chair.

Keywords: Blood flow; Sitting position; Skin temperature.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Digital infrared thermographic images of each position. A. Normal sitting, B. Ankle on knee, C. Upper leg cross
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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