What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated how cold water, pressure, and protective gloves affect hand skin temperature and manual skills in divers. Nine divers wearing neoprene gloves and dry suits were tested in a hyperbaric chamber at water temperatures of 25 and 4 degrees C, and depths of 0.4 msw (101 kPa) and 40 msw (497 kPa).
What They Found
The study found that finger and hand skin temperatures dropped significantly over time in 4 degrees C water, and were lower at 40 msw than at 0.4 msw (P < 0.05). While grip strength was unaffected, tactile sensitivity decreased with falling finger skin temperature at both pressures. Manual dexterity was impaired by cold fingers only at 40 msw, indicating neoprene gloves did not provide adequate thermal protection in 4 degrees C water.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This research highlights the challenges divers face in maintaining hand function in cold, deep water, which is relevant for professional and recreational divers operating in Canada's often frigid waters. It suggests that current neoprene gloves may not offer sufficient thermal protection to prevent manual performance issues in such conditions.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted by Canadian authors Zander J and Morrison J. While not directly about hyperbaric oxygen therapy for patients, the research on diving conditions is relevant to decompression sickness, a Health Canada-recognized indication for HBOT.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its small sample size of nine divers, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.