Kanpumasatsu: A superficial self-massage with a dry towel to enhance relaxation and immune functions

Abstract

Prior to 2020, healthcare professionals in the United States already had high rate of burnout. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need for public health measures to effectively mitigate its negative health impacts. Despite these measures including vaccination, masking, handwashing, and physical distancing, people continue to be affected by post-COVID conditions (PCC) or newly acquired infections. Promoting one's well-being and self-care, especially the methods that promote one's relaxation and immune functions will serve as valuable tools among all healthcare practitioners and educators. For example, Kanpumasatsu, a skin rubdown using a dry towel, is simple to instruct, safe, and a cost-containing self-care approach that has the potential to promote relaxation and improve one's immune functions. At the present moment, the evidence is limited and the mechanism of how kanpumasatsu improves immune functions has not been clearly documented. However, this author postulates this superficial massage causes the skin to stretch and enhances the lymphatic flow beneath the skin in a mechanism similar to that of lymphatic drainage massage. While the limited evidence of the health benefits of kanpumasatsu is available today, there is a potential for creating and enhancing instructional resources, conducting research and practice through awareness of kanpumasatsu among interprofessional educators and practitioners as a pilot self-care program to prevent burnout.