발 마사지에 따른 신체적인 반응 및 효과 고찰

Abstract

The Effects of Foot Massage on Physiological Parameters An Na Kang Advisor : Prof. Jung-Hun Lee, Ph.D. Department of Beauty Cosmetic Industrial Technology Convergence Graduate School of Chosun University As women’s occupations involved in the medical practice increase nowadays, fatigue and edema in top of the foot begin to develop among women. This researcher started the manual foot reflex massage to help these health care providers. Most of the studies on foot reflex massage were conducted in recent years, which is reflecting the increasing attentions to the alternative medicine lately. Meanwhile, the manual foot reflex massage has various effects, such as increasing metabolism, promoting healing, relaxing and recovering muscle, and promoting function of lymphatic system, on women who have to move in confined spaces, use simple motions or work on their feet all day, from the nature of job. It is considered very significant to figure out the effects of the manual foot reflex massage on fatigue, blood pressure, pulse, edema in top of the foot and plantar temperature. Even one-time reflex massage is effective, but long-time foot reflex massage is needed for persons with chronic health problems, and a follow-up study of its cumulative effects is required. This researcher selected 9 health care providers with fatigue and edema in top of the foot, with more than 10 years’ work experience, in their 30s to mid-40s, working at hospitals in South Jeolla Province; and conducted manual foot reflex massage for 8 weeks, after they left work, from 6:30p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at this researcher’s home, on an empty stomach. As a result, the difference between before and after measuring fatigue of the subjects was about 0.725, which means they felt fatigue less after the massage; systolic blood pressure reduced about 11 mmHg after measuring it; and diastolic blood pressure about 2 mmHg. In addition, after they received manual foot reflex massage, their pulse reduced 3 times, which shows the massage was effective in physiological parameters of the subjects. After the massage, edema in top of the foot also reduced about 0.2447 mm. Plantar temperature raised about 0.17℃, which indicates the manual foot reflex massage is helpful to physical and psychological parameters of the health care providers. It is expected the manual foot reflex massage will be a scientific background more and more in the future. Keywords: massage, foot reflex, foot massage, skin, fatigue and physiological parameters