Abstract
Aim: The purpose of this research is to determine the optimal depth of water in a foot-bath by analyzing adult women’s physiological and psychological responses to foot bath.
Method: 19 adult women from 21 to 37 years-old were asked to put their legs in a bathtub containing water at 41 degrees Celsius in a sitting position for 15 minutes. We set up three types of foot-bathes with different depths—8 cm, which was below the Sanyinjiao point, 15 cm, which was above the Sanyinjiao point and below the gastrocnemius muscle, and 20 cm, which was at the gastrocnemius muscle, and conducted each type of footh-bath every other day. Low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) was calculated from heart rate variability. Physiological indicators were measured by autonomic nerve activity (HF as parasympathetic nerve activity and LF/HF as sympathetic nerve activity) , surface temperature, deep temperature, and blood pressure. Psychological indicators were measured by the Japanese version of the Profile of Mood States (POMS)-Brief Form and the new version of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form (STAI) JYZ.
Results: The POMS assessment showed that subjects were more relaxed when they took a foot-bath with 15 cm depth of water than the ones with 8 cm or 20 cm depth of water at a statistically significant level. Yet, no statistically significant difference was found between three groups regarding sympathetic nerve, parasympathetic nerve, heart rate, surface temperature, and blood pressure. Deep temperature was more stable in 15 cm depth of water than in 8 cm and 20 cm depth of water at a statistically significant level.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the optimal depth of water for adult women in a foot-bath is not 8 cm/20 cm but 15 cm.
