2009 Volume 11 Issue 2 Pages 79-86
"Comfort" in shampooing is a largely subjective aspect for subjects, and it has been used as a means of evaluation after care has been provided, or it has been judged from the measured value of the hardness of the trapezius muscle. On the other hand, considering supportive techniques for providing comfort, an evaluation index of "comfort" is required as an index that can be used to instantly modify care while developing life-supporting techniques and leading subjects toward greater levels of "comfort." Therefore, this study is aimed at creating an index of "comfort" that can be instantly evaluated according to the senses of the operators while shampooing, without using a measuring instrument. The subjects, who were healthy students ranging from 18 to 21 years of age, were shampooed in a seated position in a chair. When being shampooed, the head was secured by inserting a towel or a neck protecting pad, or placing a headrest at the back of the head, and the difference in muscle hardness of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was thus examined. The shampooing was performed by the same person in order to provide uniformity of the procedure. The value of hardness of the sternocleidomastoid muscle did not change before and after shampooing in any group, but the muscle hardness value during shampooing (median value) was 44 in the group that used a headrest, 49 in the group that used a towel, and 52 in the group that used a neck protecting pad. The muscle hardness value during shampooing was significantly lower for the group that used a stool than for the group that used a neck protecting pad. When studied via a questionnaire method, a feeling of insecurity of the head was felt less in the group that used a headrest than in the group that used a neck-protecting pad. When the hardness of pillows used in nursing practice is measured on a hardness scale, the hardness value of pushing the middle of a small pillow can be represented as 49 or less, which is "feels soft," while that of pushing the middle of a medium-sized pillow can be scored as 50 to 54, which is "somewhat hard, like being stretched," and that of pushing the middle of a large pillow is shown by a value of 55 or higher, which is expressed as "feels hard." We propose the use of these expressions as a hardness index for the sternocleidomastoid muscle. From the results of this study, it is believed that when the sternocleidomastoid muscle "feels softer" than that of pushing the middle of a small pillow, then there is a sense of stability in the head. However, when it "feels hard, like being stretched" as when pushing the middle of a medium-sized pillow, then the sense of stability of the head is not obtained, and "comfort" may also be lost.
