Heat Therapy During Reduced Physical Activity

Part of paid clinical trials in Provo, Utah.

Sponsor
Brigham Young University
Study ID
NCT07847424
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Physical Inactivity
  • Skeletal Muscle Atrophy
  • Vascular Dysfunction

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Sauna — DEVICE
    Participants will complete one supervised dry sauna session each day for seven consecutive days. Sauna exposure will be delivered according to the study protocol using a standard Finnish dry sauna.
  • Reduced Physical Activity — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will reduce daily step count to approximately 1,000 steps per day for seven consecutive days. A power wheelchair will be used to assist participants in minimizing ambulation while maintaining normal daily activities.

Study Details

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether daily Finnish dry sauna therapy attenuates the adverse cardiovascular, muscular, and metabolic effects of seven days of experimentally reduced physical activity in healthy adults. Participants will be randomized to one of three groups: (1) maintained habitual physical activity with daily sauna therapy, (2) reduced physical activity with daily room-temperature sauna visits (control), or (3) reduced physical activity with daily sauna therapy. Reduced physical activity will be achieved by decreasing daily step count to approximately 1,000 steps per day with the assistance of a power wheelchair. Outcome measures include vascular endothelial function, exercise tolerance, muscle protein synthesis, body composition, blood pressure, glucose regulation, and physiological responses to heat exposure. The study will determine whether passive heat therapy can serve as a practical intervention to preserve cardiometabolic health during short periods of reduced mobility.

Key Dates

First listed
Sep 29, 2026
Start date
Jan 1, 2026
Status verified
Sep 2026
Primary completion
Jan 31, 2027
Completion
May 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION

Arms

  • Experimental: Habitual Physical Activity + Sauna
    Participants will maintain their habitual level of physical activity for seven consecutive days while undergoing one supervised Finnish dry sauna session each day. Sauna treatments will consist of standard Finnish dry sauna exposure according to the study protocol. Participants will undergo comprehensive cardiovascular, muscular, metabolic, and physiological assessments before and after the intervention.
  • Sham Comparator: Reduced Physical Activity + Room-Temperature Sauna (Control)
    Participants will reduce daily physical activity to approximately 1,000 steps per day for seven consecutive days with assistance from a power wheelchair. Participants will attend daily room-temperature sauna sessions that replicate the timing and environment of the sauna intervention without therapeutic heat exposure. Comprehensive outcome assessments will be completed before and after the intervention.
  • Experimental: Reduced Physical Activity + Dry Sauna
    Participants will reduce daily physical activity to approximately 1,000 steps per day for seven consecutive days with assistance from a power wheelchair while also completing one supervised Finnish dry sauna session each day. Outcome measures will be assessed before and after the intervention to determine whether heat therapy attenuates the adverse physiological effects of reduced physical activity.

Primary Outcome Measure

Femoral artery endothelial function [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed four days prior to the start of the intervention (Day -4) and again 1 day following the final sauna visit (Day 8) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Brigham Young UniversityProvoUtah84602
Robert D Hyldahl, PhD
[email protected]
8014221237
Jayson R Gifford, PhD
[email protected]
8014223090

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By research site
Brigham Young University· Provo, UT

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