The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between body temperature and the level of injury in persons with spinal cord injury (PSCI) during wheelchair tennis. Eleven male PSCI with lesions located between C8 and L2 participated in this study. The PSCI performed wheelchair tennis for 90min including warming up (10min), stroking (20min), volleying (10min), receiving (10min), serving (10min) and game (30min). The experiment was carried out on fine days from the end of June to the beginning of July. The ambient temperature and relative humidity were 31.7 to 34.2 ℃ and 43 to 67 %, respectively. The tympanic membrane temperature (Tt), skin temperatures (Tsk) at four points, and heart rate (HR) were continuously measured throughout the experiment. The PSCI at C8 complained of a headache at the beginning of the experiment because of the heat. For this reason, he stopped playing wheelchair tennis. The PSCI were divided into two groups according to the responses of body temperature; one of them included the PSCI above Th7, 8 and the other below T11. The PSCI with lesions above Th7, 8 showed not only higher Tt and Tsk but higher HR in comparison with those with lesions below T11. The higher Tt and Tsk are attributable to a reduced skin vasomotor response in the paralyzed area and the small sweating area in the PSCI with lesions above Th7, 8.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.22/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE