Changes in Electroencephalography Signals During Massage

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effect of massage on mental mechanisms by using electroencephalography (EEG) before, during, and after massage. The patient was placed in a supine position and received a massage from both an expert physical therapist, with 20 years experiences, and a person with no experience in therapeutic massage. EEG was recorded before, during, and after the massage. The portion of the body given the massage was only the left-side plantar arch, and the massage method was finger pressure applied by the thumb. The massage given by the expert evident alpha waves after massage. In contrast, the massage given by the inexperienced person did not induce any alpha changes. In this study, a massage from an inexperienced person did not change alpha activity before, during, or after the massage. Accordingly, the appearance of an alpha wave after massage is thought to correspond to the level of arousal of the patient gradually decreasing after massage—an indication that the patient had had a comfortable experience. In this study, it is suggested that a massage given by an expert physical therapist promotes emotional stability.