Effect of Massage Therapy in Cortisol Level

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study evaluates the effect of a single session of Massage Therapy in salivary cortisol level. All participants were assessed on three conditions: Massage session, rest in supine position listening music, and under normal working conditions. The hypothesis of the investigators is that the effect of the massage action in reduction of cortisol is superior to only rest.

Detailed Description
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Several studies have postulated that one of the physiological markers of the effect of massage therapy is to reduce the level of cortisol, the stress hormone. However it is not clear whether the effect is due to the manual action on the skin, or only by the relaxation induced rest. Therefore the variation of salivary cortisol in both conditions, and also in everyday working conditions was compared. Cortisol has a circadian cycle, with a maximum value upon awakening, which decreases during the morning; therefore a sample of saliva (in Salivette tube) it was collected in the three experimental conditions at the same hour time in the morning: 8:45(after intervention), and 9:30 and 10.30 (both, before).

Official Title
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Effects of a Single Session of Massage Therapy in Salivary Cortisol Levels in Asymptomatic Persons With Administrative Tasks and / or Office Work.

Conditions
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Asymptomatic State

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Massage Therapy
* Other: Rest in supine


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Office/administrative workers of Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile. Exclusion Criteria: Musculoskeletal disease or injury in spine. Body Mass Index over 35. Smoking (over three cigars at day) Depression. Pregnancy Corticosteroid treatment. Skin wound or disease. Intolerance to the prone position.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Massage Therapy<br>A 45 minutes massage therapy (manual) standardized session, based in Swedish techniques. | Other: Massage Therapy<br>* It's a Physical Therapy manual procedure, based in Swedish technique, and applied in a standirzed way for all participants (stroke, kneading, pressure).<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Rest condition<br>45 minutes of rest in supine position, listening music with headphones, and warm condition. | Other: Rest in supine<br>* It's only rest, in a clinic stretcher, with warm ambient temperature, and listening relaxing music with headphones.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Normal working condition, as a office workers (secretaries and managements employees) | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change of Salivary Cortisol Level | Data (a saliva sample in a Salivette (r) tube) were collected at: immediately before the intervention and placebo procedure, immediately after and later, one hour after. The control condition (normal working condition) was measured at the same hours (8:45 AM, 9.30 AM and 10.30 AM) in the workplace. After collected, were refrigerated.The three conditions (intervention, placebo and office work) were a week apart. Therefore, each participant had nine measurements. Determining the level of cortisol was performed by ELISA method, after all samples were collected. | All participants were measured in three different condition, one week apart one each other. In each condition, three measurements were performed, in the morning | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Massage, Stress, salivary cortisol