A recent study conducted by researchers at Ulster University has explored the usability and potential benefits of CET’s palm cooling device in reducing fatigue among clinical populations, highlighting promising early findings and identifying opportunities for future research. The study was presented at the CASES Conference and has since been published in the Journal of Sports Sciences.
Palm cooling has previously been investigated within elite sport, where research suggests it may help delay fatigue and improve work capacity. However, until now, little attention has been given to its potential application in clinical rehabilitation settings. This exploratory study set out to evaluate both the acceptability and usability of a palm cooling device from the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals.
The research involved 15 patients with a range of neurological conditions, including brain injury and stroke, alongside five experienced physiotherapists. Patients completed repeated 30-second Sit-to-Stand (STS) tests and fatigue assessments, both with and without the use of the palm cooling device. Participants and clinicians also completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire to assess the device’s usability and overall experience.
Although the study did not find a statistically significant reduction in fatigue, participants reported a slight decrease in perceived fatigue while completing progressively more exercise with the palm cooling device. Researchers concluded that these findings support the need for larger studies to further investigate its potential clinical benefits.
One of the strongest outcomes was the positive feedback on usability. Patients awarded the device an average System Usability Scale score of 86.66 out of 100, indicating excellent usability. Participants described the device as easy to use and reported that it had a calming and relaxing effect. Feedback also highlighted areas for future design improvements and the importance of providing further information about the evidence supporting palm cooling.
Healthcare professionals also responded positively, giving the device an average usability score of 79 out of 100, classified as good usability. Clinicians recognised the potential of the technology but emphasised that further evidence demonstrating clinical effectiveness and clear treatment protocols would be important before widespread adoption in practice.
Overall, the study concluded that the CoreTx GO device demonstrated high usability, strong user acceptability, and potential to help moderate subjective fatigue in clinical populations. While further research is required to establish its effectiveness on functional performance, the findings provide encouraging evidence for the future application of palm cooling within rehabilitation and clinical care.
