title: Moderate pressure is essential for massage therapy effects.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA. tfield@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diego
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Reif
mesh_terms: 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*