Impact of personal characteristics on whole body cryostimulation settings: a numerical simulation study using the FPC model.

Given the considerable between-subject variability in skin cooling under whole-body cryostimulation (WBC), we performed a simulation study on the impact of personal characteristics following a stepwise approach. The Fiala thermal Physiology and Comfort (FPC) numerical simulation model adapted to cryotherapy settings was first validated against published averaged data and further calibrated to individual body and skin temperature responses observed from six volunteers during WBC exposures in the PolarFit®Care Single Person WBC Unit. The FPC model was then used to simulate skin temperature responses to 3 min WBC exposure at −110 °C for 65 female and male configurations with varying anthropometric and morphological body characteristics. The results indicated that the skin temperature response was always fast yet very sensitive to variations in personal settings and could well be captured by the individualized FPC numerical simulation model. Body fat content and the fat free mass index were found to significantly affect the personal skin temperature response and would thus also affect the protocol settings regarding both WBC safety-related and cooling efficacy-related issues.