Abstract
This research verified changes in composition in various parts of the body caused by conductive heat and the influence of the body composition on the effect of the contra-lateral thermal reaction in order to clarify factors for improving the effect of local bathing. The body composition was investigated by means of Segmental Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. The percentage of fat was 14.23±2.40% in men and 29.60±7.66% in women, indicating a higher percentage in women than in men (p<0.01). The volume of body fluids in lower limbs was 6.46±0.83l in the right limb and 6.39±0.86l in the left limb of men, and 4.78±0.49l in the right limb and 4.78±0.49l in the left limb of women, indicating a higher value in men than in women (both p<0.01). During each bathing, the volume of body fluids on the surface, in deep part 1 and deep part 2 of men reached a maximum earlier than that of women.
Conclusions: 1) In bathing using external conductive heat, sebaceous is a large factor for changes in temperature both on the surface and in deep parts. 2) In bathing part of the body, there is little movement of total body water (TBW) and fluids inside the body eliminating risk factors of bathing such as the oligohidria, suggesting that bathing is a safe treatment for elderly people. 3) In the contra-lateral thermal reaction using conductive heat, the possibility of increasing the effect of raising the temperature on the surface and in deep parts on the non-bathing side was suggested.
