title: Effects of myofascial induction techniques on physiologic and psychologic parameters: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to determine the effect of myofascial techniques on the modulation of physiologic and psychologic variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one (41) healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group underwent 3 manual therapy modalities: suboccipital muscle technique, compression of fourth intracranial ventricle, and deep cervical fascia technique. The control group remained in a resting position for the same time period under the same environmental conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Temperature, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were measured before, during, and after the intervention. State and trait anxiety levels and depression level were evaluated before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant time x groups interaction [F = 4.7(1,40); p = 0.036] for state anxiety. There were no significant time x group interaction effects for depression [F = 0.33(1,40); p = 0.57] or trait anxiety [F = 3.76(1,40), p = 0.060]. Among physiologic parameters, a significant time x group interaction was found for systolic BP [F = 2.86(6,240); p = 0.033] and heart rate [F = 2.89(6,240); p = 0.036].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychologic modulation is observed after application of manual therapy techniques, with a decrease in state anxiety in the experimental group. Heart rate and systolic BP were modulated during the course of myofascial induction techniques. All of these effects were observed up to 20 minutes after the therapy.
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Spain. fernandez@ugr.es
authors: Antonio Manuel
authors: AM
authors: Fernández-Pérez
authors: Maria I
authors: MI
authors: Peralta-Ramírez
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Pilat
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Villaverde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome