Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Cullen, Tom
• Steward, Charles J.
• Menzies, Campbell
• Pugh, Christopher J.A.
• Douglas Thake, C.

Titel

The effect of underwater massage during hot water immersion on acute cardiovascular and mood responses

Ist Teil von

• Journal of thermal biology, 2024-04, Vol.121, p.103858, Article 103858

Ort / Verlag

England: Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• There is emerging evidence that demonstrates the health benefits of hot water immersion including improvements to cardiovascular health and reductions in stress and anxiety. Many commercially available hot tubs offer underwater massage systems which purport to enhance many benefits of hot water immersion, however, these claims have yet to be studied. Twenty participants (4 females) completed three, 30-min sessions of hot-water immersion (beginning at 39 °C) in a crossover randomized design: with air massage (Air Jet), water massage (Hydro Jet) or no massage (Control). Cardiovascular responses comprising; heart rate, blood pressure and superficial femoral artery blood flow and shear rate were measured. State trait anxiety, basic affect, and salivary cortisol were recorded before and after each trial. Data were analysed using a mixed effects model. Post immersion, heart rate increased (Δ31bpm, P < 0.001, d = 1.38), mean arterial blood pressure decreased (Δ16 mmHg, P < 0.001, d = −0.66), with no difference between conditions. Blood flow and mean shear rate increased following immersion (P < 0.001, Δ362 ml/min, d = 1.20 and Δ108 s−1, d = 1.00), but these increases were blunted in the Air Jet condition (P < 0.001,Δ171 ml/min, d = 0.43 and Δ52 s−1, d = 0.52). Anxiety and salivary cortisol were reduced (P = 0.003, d = −0.20, P = 0.014, d = −0.11), but did not vary between conditions. Enjoyment did not vary between conditions. These data demonstrate positive acute responses to hot water immersion on markers of cardiovascular function, anxiety, and stress. There was no additional benefit of water-based massage, while air-based massage blunted some positive vascular responses due to lower heat conservation of the water. •30-min hot water immersion (38.5–39 °C) increased femoral artery shear rate and decreased blood pressure, anxiety and salivary cortisol.•Underwater massage does not provide any additional benefits to the hot-water immersion.•Underwater massage by Air Jets decreased the water temperature by ∼1.5 °C at the end of the water immersion session, resulting in blunted increases in blood flow and shear rate.