Cold Weather Walking and Running

The weather is getting gradually colder by the day, with average temperature hovering around 5-10C. It may be necessary, therefore, to take precautions before going out to exercise in the cold in light of how the body adapts to cold temperatures. One handy and practical tip is to protect your hands as much as possible. It seems that hands are poorly designed in terms of anatomical arrangement and circulation (Cheung 2010). Fingers that are long are prone to rapid heat loss due large surface area to volume for convective heat loss (convective heat loss occurs when wind or rain come into contact with the hands). Your hands also receive poor circulation, despite contributing to 9% total body body surface area. In fact, it is not uncommon for scaphoid injuries to require immediate surgery due to the likelihood of necrosis that can occur. Hands also have low muscle and fat masses providing minimal metabolic or insulatory responses. Similarly, rapid vasoconstriction of the hands during cold exposure directs blood flow away from them. When your hands get cold, performing basic motor tasks i.e. tying shoe laces, zipping up jackets, opening food, making phone calls can become surprisingly complicated. To put it simply, if running or cycling outside in the autumn, wear protective gloves to maintain hand circulation, minimize heat loss and maintain motor function.