Chill training: could 8 days of cold boost your grip?
NCT ID NCT05464758
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether spending 120 minutes in 8°C air for 8 days in a row helps the body adapt to cold. Researchers measured blood flow, hand strength, dexterity, and comfort in 16 healthy adults. The goal is to find ways to keep hands working well in cold conditions, which could help soldiers and others in cold environments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Repeated cold exposure
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward simple training methods to help people maintain hand function and comfort in cold environments.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 16 healthy adults, so results may not apply to broader populations or real-world conditions.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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16 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Aug 2022
- Finished
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Sep 2024
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 39 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female, age 18-39 * In good health as determined by OMSO (Office of Medical Support and Oversight) * Willing to refrain from exercise and caffeinated or alcoholic beverages for 12 hours before each testing session * Willing to refrain from smoking or tobacco use 8 hours before each testing session Exclusion Criteria: * History of cold injuries of any severity (e.g., frostbite, trench foot, chilblains). * Raynaud's syndrome. * Cold-induced asthma/bronchospasm * Previous hand/finger injuries that impair dexterity and hand function. * Metal hardware (plates/screws) in the forearms and hands. * Current use of medications or dietary supplements that could alter cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, or vascular control (e.g., anti-hypertensives, statins). * Known allergies to medical adhesives. * Heart, lung, kidney, muscle, or nerve disorder(s) * A planned MRI during the study or within 2 days after completing a cold test. * Women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. * Not willing to have small areas of skin on the body shaved (if deemed necessary for attachment of study instrumentation)
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Natick, Massachusetts, 01760, United States
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