• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.209-218
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• 2022

Individuals often report significant relief from pain and stress even after a single session of massage therapy; however, no previous studies have provided objective evidence supporting the effectiveness of a solitary massage therapy session. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of one-time treatment with a spinal thermal massage device reported to exert the same therapeutic effects as massage therapy in terms of pain reduction and stress relief. A man with chronic low back pain (LBP) underwent two rounds of experiments involving spinal massage treatment and bed rest, respectively. Pain was assessed using a visual analog scale, and heart rate variability (HRV) was measured in real-time to examine autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. Blood samples were obtained at five points during each round of the experiment to examine changes in cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Spinal massage significantly reduced pain and enhanced parasympathetic activity when compared with the bed rest condition. In addition, both epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were lower following spinal massage than following bed rest. These results are consistent with the reported effects of conventional massage therapy and support the effectiveness of one-time treatment using a spinal thermal massage device.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1612-1618
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• 2011

The present study was undertaken to analyze the effects of different types of treatment on excess post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), flexibility, free radical and antioxidants in women using a horseback riding therapeutic device. Subjects were trained in regular horseback riding exercises for 12 weeks (3 times/wk). The effects of this exercise were examined by means of a single session of horseback riding that lasted for 30 min. 21 women were recruited from a public health center and divided into 3 groups (passive recovery group, passive+massage recovery group, and dynamic recovery group). 3 types of recovery patterns were determined after a single trial of horseback riding exercise. Their flexibility were determined pre-and post-training by Paired T test, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The results were as follows: Among the 3 groups, the dynamic recovery group showed the highest levels of EPOC compared to the other groups, and also showed higher levels of anti-oxidants, as did the passive+massage recovery group compared to the passive recovery group. Moreover, horseback riding exercise greatly increased flexibility in the women. In conclusion, regular horseback riding training is recommended to enhance the flexibility of women and dynamic recovery is recommended to enhance EPOC and anti-oxidants after a single bout of exercise. Further study is needed in this area.