EFFECTS OF MASSAGE THERAPIES ON WOMEN OVER SIXTY YEARS

Abstract

Ideas about health, preventing diseases and types of cures are changed
dramatically in last decades all over the world. The special attention or positive
effect of complementary, and alternative therapies were suggested by WHO and
EU regarding the global health care system. Massage is one of the most popular
area in alternative medicine and rehabilitation. Several experts prove positive
effects of massage on the human body, so a multi-massage therapy was
examined in our study.
Women over 60 years (N =12) were randomly assigned into two groups
„Massage” (N=6); „Control” (N=6). The joint range of motion, subjective level
of pain, or physical and mental health status were measured by SPSS 18.1 for
windows with paired samples t-test (≤,05).
The main range of motion difference was assessed in lumbar spine flexibility
(t=-8,174; p=,000) between pre- and post- measurement. There were positive
improvements in Visual Analog Scale (t=5,085; p=,004); and in health status
questionnaire also. „Role Physical” (t=-2,712; p=,042); „General health” (t=-
3,024; p=,029); „Body pain” (t=-3,507; p=0,17).
Our results show, that the massage had positive effect on all the three
measured tests.