Influence of Sportswear Made from Polyester and Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres on the Energy Cost of Physical Effort

Abstract

In the over-saturated global textile market , consumers have growing expectations towards its goods. The producers who develop new technologies for giving textiles additional functions can gain a considerable advantage in the clothing market. This trend is forcing scientists to investigate new methods of clothing evaluation because present physical-mechanical tests do not guarantee the creation of a multi-faceted opinion on the properties of a textile. One of the new methods applied for clothes investigation was developed at the Institute of Natural Fibres. This method involves the use of electromyographic EMG medical records for the determination of the influence of clothing on muscle activity. The results of the study showed that everyday clothing can be the cause of an increased tendency to tiredness. The aim of the current study was the investigation of the influence of different types of sportswear on the physiological parameters and energy cost of volunteers in sports conditions. The garments tested were prepared with the application of cellulosic and synthetic fibres. This paper presents the results of the experiment conducted within the studies. The volunteers taking part in the experiment were asked to wear test clothes made from 100% TENCEL® fibres, 100% polyester fibres, or a TENCEL®/polyester blend and do 10-minutes of physical exercise on a running track. Physiological as well as respiratory and circulatory system parameters for estimation of the energy cost of physical effort were monitored in the case of each subject wearing different types of sportswear. The results of the study show statistically significant differences in the parameters measured for the differ ent types of sportswear tested. Especially, the energy cost of the volunteers’ physical effort was lowest with garments made from a TENCEL®/polyester blend. This effect can be connected to better moisture management, which supported the body’s temperature regulation, leading to a lower energy cost of the given performance.