Moderate pressure is essential for massage therapy effects.
Moderate pressure appears to be necessary for massage therapy effects. Studies comparing moderate and light pressure massage are reviewed and they suggest that growth and development are enhanced in infants and stress is reduced in adults, but only by moderate pressure massage. The stimulation of pressure receptors leads to increased vagal activity which, in turn, seems to mediate the diverse benefits noted for massage therapy.
Field
Tiffany
T
Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA. tfield@med.miami.edu
Diego
Miguel
M
Hernandez-Reif
Maria
M
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011312:Pressure; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*