Skin temperature changes during a footbath in patients who had had a stroke with consequent sensory impairment

Aim: The objectives of this study were to examine skin temperature changes on the unaffected and affected sides as well as changes in perceived temperature and comfort during a footbath in patients who had had a stroke with consequent sensory impairment. Methods: The study used a quasi-experimental design in which the results of intervention for patients who had had a stroke and healthy adults were compared. The subjects were 20 patients who had had a stroke with consequent sensory impairment and 20 healthy adults. Results: Before the footbath, the skin temperature of the dorsum of the foot on the affected side of the patient who had had a stroke was lower than that of the foot on the unaffected side. Five minutes after the start of the footbath, however, the relationship reversed, with the skin temperature on the affected side increasing in parallel with the water temperature. After the footbath, the dorsum skin temperature on the affected side was again lower than that on the unaffected side. In healthy adults, a difference was found in dorsum skin temperature between the left and right feet. In contrast with patients who had had a stroke, no reversal of the sides was found with the lower and higher temperature. Conclusion: Unlike in the healthy adults, the skin temperature of the patients who had had a stroke with consequent sensory impairment was susceptible to changes in the external environment. However, no significant changes in the physiological indices were seen, while perceived temperature and comfort remained at high levels after the footbath.