소루 하지 마사지요법이 중년여성의 심박변이도와 활성산소 농도에 미치는 효과

Abstract

Purpose: The study is to show the effect of Soru lower-leg massage therapy on heart rate variability (HRV), stress, fatigue, pain, vein strength and stress index in middle-aged women. Methods: The Soru lower-leg massage has been adapted for this experiment. Fifty participants who who had no history of any particular disease or mental illness, were not taking medications that affect the autonomic nervous system (e.g. anxiety, depression), and were not taking antioxidant health foods, were asked to join the experiment two times a week for six weeks, resulting in a total of 12 conducted tests. Pre-survey and post-survey were carried out to investigate the change in participants’ fatigue level, pain level, and visuality level. Also 3.5 minute pulse measurements were recorded to examine the pulse rate change, before and after the therapy, respectively. Basced on the pulse rate difference, sympathetic activity (LF), parasympathetic nervous activity (HF), automatic nerve balance (LF/HF), physical resistances to stress (SDNN), the standard deviation (RMSSD), blood vessel health index and blood vessel health type were analyzed. Furthermore, active oxygen concentration level, antioxidative activity were measured. Data was analyzed by SPSS 18.0; the significance level was 5%. Results: The results of Soru lower-leg massage test are shown as follows: perceived stress index went down from 32.21 to 22.49 (p<0.01); perceived body fatigue index significantly declined from 39 to 20.91 after the therapy (p<0.01); perceived pain index significantly decreased from 3.00 to 1.26 (p<0.01); automatic nerve balance index (LF/HF) changed from 1.09 to 1.18 (p<0.01). Therefore, the study was statistically significant. However, the results of stress index based on the pulse difference, active oxygen (FORT), and total bodily antioxidative activity (FORD) did not show statistical significance. Specially, stress index using the pulse measurement, went down from 51.81 to 51.09 after the therapy. Active oxygen (FORT) changed from 350.15 to 345.43 and the total bodily antioxidative activity (FORD) was decreased from 1.01 to 0.87. Conclusion: The result shows that Soru lower-leg massage has a positive effective on the participants. Especially, their fatigue index, pain index, stress index were reduced. Automatic nerve balance index, vessel health type and the stress index, analyzed by the HRV were found to be improved. Thus, this study has suggested that Soru lower-leg massage could help to improve middle-aged women’s health as an alternative therapy.

Key Words: Massage, Heart rate variability (HRV), Stress, Autonomic nerve, Pain.