Sweatxpert Explains How ATLANTA, June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- You can't escape the heat of summer, but you can manage it, according to Russell Athletic sweat expert Dr. Larry Kenney. Kenney, Russell Athletic Sweatxpert and professor of physiology and kinesiology at Penn State, says that choosing the correct exercise clothing is a crucial factor in staying cool and remaining healthy this summer. "As your internal body temperature increases, you begin to sweat in order to cool your body. However, it is not the actual sweating that decreases the body temperature, it is when the sweat evaporates from the skin that your body actually begins to cool down," said Kenney. When humidity levels climb to the common levels of 70 percent or higher in cities like Atlanta, sweat is ineffective in cooling the body as it does not evaporate but drips off the skin. For the average person with 2.6 million sweat glands in their skin, this can present quite a problem. "As humidity increases, there is more moisture in the air. This keeps the sweat from evaporating and results in a wasteful loss of body fluids that does not cool the body properly," Kenney said. As Russell Athletic's Sweatxpert further explains, "When wearing clothes, sweat must be transported from the skin to the clothing's exterior surface for evaporation. "The efficiency of evaporation is decreased by any clothing as air and fabric layers come between the skin and air, but fabrics that wick moisture from the skin through the clothing maximize evaporative efficiency." The body is comprised of approximately 50 percent water, and a working adult can produce as much as 15 quarts of sweat a day. Clothing that manages moisture, such as Russell Athletic's Dri-Power line, takes moisture away from the skin, aiding the evaporation process and keeping the body cooler. "Wearing clothes with good wicking properties allows ample evaporation of sweat from the outer clothing layer, whereas less porous or heavier fabrics impede this process. Even in humid climates where evaporation is limited, wicking promotes a higher comfort level," Kenney said. Internal body heat generated by exercise and combined with the high summer temperatures can cause the body to overheat if cooling mechanisms are not managed properly, said Kenney. Becoming knowledgeable on how to manage sweat while exercising is especially crucial during the summer months as exhaustion and overheating are common causes of injuries. Autumn is not the only remedy to the summer heat. Managing sweat by wearing performance apparel could have you thinking that summer is cooler than ever. About Russell Athletic Sweatxpert, Dr. Larry Kenney W. Larry Kenney is professor of Physiology and Kinesiology at Penn State University where he teaches and conducts research at Noll Laboratory. His research interests include the cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses to heat stress and dehydration, control of human skin blood flow, and the biophysics of heat exchange between human beings and the environment. NIH- funded work focuses on the effects of aging on the ability to tolerate and adapt to environmental challenges. Dr. Kenney is a Fellow and Past President of the American College of Sports Medicine. He also chairs the Gatorade Sports Science Institute's Science Advisory Board. About Russell Corporation Russell Corporation is a leading branded athletic and sporting goods company marketing athletic apparel, uniforms, footwear and equipment for a variety of sports, outdoor and fitness activities. The company's major brands include Russell Athletic(R), JERZEES(R), Spalding(R), Brooks(R), Huffy Sports(R), Bike(R), Moving Comfort(R), AAI(R) and Mossy Oak(R). Russell Corporation is dually headquartered in Alexander City, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia, and employs 15,000 people worldwide. The company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RML and its Web site address is http://www.russellcorp.com/. DATASOURCE: Russell Corporation CONTACT: Holly Clifford for Russell Corporation, +1-404-636-8200, Ext. 231, or Web Site: http://www.russellcorp.com/

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