[massagewarsaw]

New research indicates massage therapy may have a durable, positive effect on blood pressure.

The study looked at two groups of women: One group received Swedish massage for 10 to 15 minutes three times a week for 10 total sessions. The other group of women relaxed, but did not receive massage.

All the participants' blood pressure was measured before and after each session and again 72 hours after the last massage or relaxation session.

The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the women who received massage was significantly lower compared with the non-massage

group, both right after the sessions and also 72 hours later.
"Findings of the study indicated that massage therapy was a safe, effective, applicable and cost-effective intervention in controlling [blood pressure] of the pre-hypertension women, and it can be used in the health care centers and even at home," the investigators noted.

"Durability of effect of massage therapy on blood pressure" was conducted by investigators in the Department of Adult Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Durability of effect of massage therapy on blood pressure.
Givi M.
Source
Department of Adult Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Pre-hypertension is considered as a cardiovascular disease predicator. Management of pre-hypertension is an appropriate objective for clinicians in a wide range of medical centers. Treatment of pre-hypertension is primarily non-pharmacological, one of which is massage therapy that is used to control the BP. This study aimed to evaluate the survival effect of Swedish massage (face, neck, shoulders, and chest) on BP of the women with pre-hypertension.

METHODS:
This was a single-blind clinical trial study. Fifty pre-hypertensive women selected by simple random sampling which divided into control and test groups. The test group (25 patients) received Swedish massage 10-15 min, 3 times a week for 10 sessions and the control groups (25 patients) also were relaxed at the same environment with receiving no massage. Their BP was measured before and after each session and 72 h after finishing the massage therapy. Analyzing the data was done using descriptive and inferential statistical methods (Chi- square, Mann-Whitney, paired t-test and Student t-test) through SPSS software.

RESULTS:
The results indicated that mean systolic and diastolic BP in the massage group was significantly lower in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001). Evaluation of durability of the massage effects on BP also indicated that 72 h after finishing the study, still there was a significant difference between the test and control groups in systolic and diastolic BP (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:
Findings of the study indicated that massage therapy was a safe, effective, applicable and cost-effective intervention in controlling BP of the pre-hypertension women and it can be used in the health care centers and even at home.