Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare autonomic nervous system responses to dry massage of the arm in different directions. Heart rate variability, skin conductance level and skin temperature were used in this study.
Fifty healthy university student volunteers participated. They were randomly assigned to the following three groups : Group A, receiving dry massage from periphery to center, Group B, receiving dry massage from center to periphery, and Group C, the control group (no massage).
Following are the results. Skin conductance level, which is a sympathetic indicator, was statistically significant (p＜.001) between Group A and Group C, and also between Group B and Group C. Thus, in both groups sympathetic activity was decreased due to dry massage, but after 5 minutes the activity increased. However, a spectrum analysis of heart rate variability showed it to be significant (p＜.05) between base line data and intervention data in Group B only. This result suggests that dry massage from center to periphery is more effective in calming the autonomic nervous system.
