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Effects of a warm hand bath on the blood flow in the shoulder, skin and deep body temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and subjective comfort in healthy women: An experimental cross‐over trial
Author(s) -
Kudo Yukiko,
Sasaki Makiko,
Kikuchi Yukiko,
Sugiyama Reiko,
Hasebe Makiko,
Ishii Noriko
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
japan journal of nursing science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.363
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1742-7924
pISSN - 1742-7932
DOI - 10.1111/jjns.12216
Subject(s) - bathing , medicine , autonomic nervous system , skin temperature , heart rate variability , forearm , heart rate , sympathetic nervous system , analysis of variance , significant difference , anesthesia , physical therapy , surgery , blood pressure , dermatology , pathology
Aim The present study was conducted in order to clarify the effects of a warm hand bath at 40°C for 10 min on the blood flow in the shoulder, skin and deep body temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and subjective comfort in healthy women. Methods The study's participants were 40 healthy adult women who were randomly assigned to either a structured hand bath first and no hand bath second (Group A) or to no hand bath first and a hand bath second (Group B). The blood flow in the shoulder, skin and deep body temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and subjective comfort then were recorded in all the participants. Results A repeated‐measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in the blood flow in the right shoulder or deep body temperature between groups. The skin temperature of the hands, forearms, and arms was significantly increased, but not of the face and upper back. The skin temperature of the forearms was maintained at 0.5°C–1°C higher for 30 min in the hand bath group, compared with the no hand bath group. The hand bath group had a significantly higher heart rate while bathing and a significantly lower parasympathetic nerve activity level during bathing. No significant difference was seen in the sympathetic activity level between groups. The hand bath group had a significantly higher subjective comfort level. Conclusion Hand baths can improve the level of subjective comfort and increase the heart rate and might affect autonomic nervous activity. The skin temperature of the forearms was maintained for 30 min in the hand bath group.