Effects of massage therapy and aerobic training on body composition and lipid profile in overweight and obese women
Poster Presentation
Paper ID : 1063-SSRC
Authors
Department of Exercise Physiology, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ilam, Iran
Abstract
Background & Objective: Massage is among the methods that have recently been used to reduce local fat. It seems that massage therapy can achieve results similar to other methods of treating obesity by increasing blood flow to body tissues. However, there has been no research on the effect of massage therapy as a complementary method on the body composition and lipid profile of obese subjects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 6-week aerobic training and massage therapy on body composition and lipid profile in overweight and obese women.
Methodology: Forty-three healthy women with age 40.5±9.8 years and BMI=28.3±1.2 kg/m2 volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects randomly divided into massage therapy (n=11), aerobic training (n=11), massage therapy+ aerobic training (n=11) and control (n=10) groups. Aerobic training included 20- 30 min running on the treadmill with an intensity of 60-70% of HRmax, 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks. The massage (petrisage method) sessions were conducted on for 6 weeks and 3 days a week. In the combined group, massage sessions were conducted in the days before aerobic training sessions. Before and after interventions waist and hip circumference, waist to hip ratio (WHR) and body fat percent (%BF) were measured. Also, blood samples were taken for measurement of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL).
Findings: There was a significant decrease in waist and hip circumference, WHR and %BF for massage therapy when compared to the pre- test (all; p<0.021). Also, waist and hip circumference, WHR, %BF, TC and TG significantly decreased in aerobic training and massage therapy+ aerobic training groups in comparison to control (all; p<0.035).
Conclusion: Although massage therapy alone has only a limited effect on some indices of body composition, but if it was conducted together with aerobic training, it also helps to improve the lipid profile. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired results, massage therapy should be used as a complementary method along with exercise training.
Methodology: Forty-three healthy women with age 40.5±9.8 years and BMI=28.3±1.2 kg/m2 volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects randomly divided into massage therapy (n=11), aerobic training (n=11), massage therapy+ aerobic training (n=11) and control (n=10) groups. Aerobic training included 20- 30 min running on the treadmill with an intensity of 60-70% of HRmax, 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks. The massage (petrisage method) sessions were conducted on for 6 weeks and 3 days a week. In the combined group, massage sessions were conducted in the days before aerobic training sessions. Before and after interventions waist and hip circumference, waist to hip ratio (WHR) and body fat percent (%BF) were measured. Also, blood samples were taken for measurement of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL).
Findings: There was a significant decrease in waist and hip circumference, WHR and %BF for massage therapy when compared to the pre- test (all; p<0.021). Also, waist and hip circumference, WHR, %BF, TC and TG significantly decreased in aerobic training and massage therapy+ aerobic training groups in comparison to control (all; p<0.035).
Conclusion: Although massage therapy alone has only a limited effect on some indices of body composition, but if it was conducted together with aerobic training, it also helps to improve the lipid profile. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired results, massage therapy should be used as a complementary method along with exercise training.
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