Effects of Various Relaxation Methods on Physical Reactions

Abstract

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of various relaxation methods on physical reactions. [Subjects] The subjects were 11 normal males (n=5) and females (n=6). [Methods] Breathing number (BN), heart rate (HR), diastolic and systolic blood pressure (DBP, SBP), finger-floor distance (FFD), the range of straight leg raising (SLR), and the number of correct answers in a calculation task (NCA) were measured for all subjects before and after abdominal respiration (AR), progressive muscle relaxation (PRM), listening to music (LM), and smelling a fragrance (SF). [Results] AR affected all measured parameters except for DBP. It decreased BN, HR, SBP, and increased FFD, SLR and NCA significantly. [Conclusions] This result suggests that AR is the most suitable method to use in rehabilitation because it can be used without equipment and is easily performed by subjects.