Changes in emotional state and the perception of body image in patients with dorsopathies after a course of medical massage

Objective: to evaluate the changes in perception of body image in patients with dorsopathies after restorative procedures (with the example of massage). Materials and methods. The study involved 50 patients with spinal diseases (of which 13 had intervertebral disc hernias, 13 patients had protrusions, 22 had scoliosis, 46 had osteochondrosis and 8 patients had spinal traumas). To assess the dynamics of the psychoemotional state and the attitude toward the body, we used the eight-color version of Lьscher color test and the color metaphors technique offered by I.L. Solomin and modified for the research task. Each patient was treated by a course of medical massage (10 sessions). Assessment of psychological parameters was conducted before and after the course of medical massage with the aim to establish the changes in the psychological state. The methods of descriptive statistics, the Student’s test for dependent samples and the procedure of tree clustering were used. Results. The average and elevated levels of non-productive neuropsychic tension after treatment of patients either significantly and statistically significantly decreased or completely normalized. Exhaustion and lethargy in most cases were replaced by higher levels of activity and mobilization of physical and psychological resources. Psychosemantic analysis indicates that after massage sessions, important life values related to health and perception of oneself as more necessary and attractive are allocated in clusters. There is a reason to conclude that a person ceases to “indulge in illness,” and opens up to the external environment, thus family and romantic relationships improve. Conclusion. After a course of medical massage, in addition to the therapeutic effect, patients’ overall psychoemotional state and attitude toward their own bodies improve.