title: Integrative Evaluation of Automated Massage Combined with Thermotherapy: Physical, Physiological, and Psychological Viewpoints.
abstract: Various types of massages are reported to relieve stress, pain, and anxiety which are beneficial for rehabilitation; however, more comprehensive studies are needed to understand the mechanism of massage therapy. In this study, we investigated the effect of massage therapy, alone or in combination with infrared heating, on 3 different aspects: physical, physiological, and psychological. Twenty-eight healthy university students were subjected to 3 different treatment conditions on separate days, one condition per day: control, massage only, or massage with infrared heating. Physical (trunk extension [TE]; maximum power of erector spinae), physiological (heart-rate variability [HRV]; electroencephalogram [EEG]), and psychological (state-trait anxiety inventory [STAI]; visual analogue scale [VAS]) measurements were evaluated and recorded before and after each treatment condition. The results showed that massage therapy, especially when combined with infrared heating, significantly improved physical functioning, increased parasympathetic response, and decreased psychological stress and anxiety. In the current study, we observed that massage therapy contributes to various physical, physiological, and psychological changes, where the effect increases with thermotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 50 Daehak-ro, Yeosu-si 59626, Republic of Korea; Berlin Institute of Technology, Machine Learning Group, Marchstraße 23, 10587 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Do-Won
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4397-0774
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Fraunhofer IZFP Medical Device Lab, Yonsei University, Medical Industry Techo Tower 205, Wonju 220-710, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Woon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2577-7882
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems, Maria-Reiche-Straße 2, 01109 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Joergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Hwan
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3795-3318
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Im
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Fraunhofer IZFP Medical Device Lab, Yonsei University, Medical Industry Techo Tower 205, Wonju 220-710, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Medical Industry Techno Tower 307, Wonju 220-710, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hansung
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2147-6553
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy