Effectiveness of Foot Massage in Alleviating the Symptoms of Elderly Individuals with Sensitivity to Cold

Abstract

　The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of foot massage as a nursing technique for alleviating the symptoms of elderly women with sensitivity to cold. This study used a quasi-experimental design, comparing two non-randomized groups ; 25 elderly women with sensitivity to cold and 27 healthy elderly women. The massaging method involved a 20-minute foot massage followed by 30 minutes of rest.
　The evaluation criteria were skin temperature, blood flow, heart rate variability, short form of the Profile of Mood States, and degree of warmth in the legs. The results of the study indicated that skin temperature and blood flow significantly increased after foot massage, while heart rate significantly decreased. In addition, blood pressure significantly decreased, high frequency (HF) significantly increased, and low- to high-frequency ratio (LF/HF) significantly decreased following right foot massage (P＜0.05). Moreover, the sensation of warmth in the legs significantly increased (P＜0.05), supporting the evaluations of skin temperature and blood flow which also significantly increased. These findings suggest that foot massage for elderly women with sensitivity to cold results in the same responses as those seen in healthy elderly individuals, and that it is effective as a nursing technique for alleviating the symptoms of elderly women with sensitivity to cold.