The Effect of Deep Tissue Massage on Respiratory Parameters in People With Asthma
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Deep Tissue Massage, Classic massage.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Massage, Asthma Patients. Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Poland
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Bronchial asthma, as a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract, significantly reduces the quality of life of patients. Standard treatment includes pharmacotherapy, but a holistic approach, including manual therapies, can support pharmacological therapy, reducing the need for drugs. The aim of the research is to verify whether deep tissue massage (DTM) techniques applied to the chest significantly affect respiratory parameters in people with asthma. The study is the next stage of the study conducted on healthy people. After obtaining positive results in the study involving people not suffering from respiratory diseases, the next step is to examine people with, in this case, bronchial asthma. It is important to determine whether the use of this form of manual therapy can bring benefits in the context of improving respiratory functions, reducing respiratory muscle tension and relieving subjective symptoms associated with asthma, such as shortness of breath or limitations in everyday functioning. The hypothesis assumes that DTM techniques can have a bigger effect on the respiratory system than classic massage (CM). The study is a randomized controlled trial, where participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: the study group (subjected to DTM) or the control group (subjected to CM). Before and after the massage intervention, participants will undergo spirometry to assess the changes in respiratory parameters. The obtained data will then be analyzed for effects on respiratory parameters and differences between both groups.
Interventions
- Procedure Deep Tissue Massage
Administered as a soft tissue mobilization performed by the therapist with fingertips, knuckles, elbows and/or fists on the tissues that manifest symptoms of fascial restrictions. The techniques were performed with individually adjusted force until the change (eg. increased mobility) in the tissue being treated was stated by the therapist. - Procedure Classic massage
The subject was lying supine on the table, with a roller placed under the knee joints, the upper limbs along the body. The following sequence of techniques was used in the longitudinal and transverse strands and in the intercostal spaces (excluding the breast in women): effleurage, friction, petrissage, pressures, tapotement and vibrations.
Primary outcome measures
- Assessment of change of lung vital capacity [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Assessment of change of chest circumference [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Assessment of change of blood oxygen saturation [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Asessment of change of Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Assessment of change of Forced Vital Capacity [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Assessment of change of Maximum Expiratory Flow [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Assessment of change of Forced Expiratory Volume in one second [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
- Assessment of change of Maximum Voluntary Ventilation [Time frame: twice: before and immediately after procedure administration in both groups]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- diagnosed with bronchial asthma
- stable health condition, allowing participation in the study
- informed consent to participate in the study
Exclusion criteria
- acute or chronic comorbidities that may affect the results (e.g. COPD, heart failure, cancer)
- any chest surgery performed within the last 6 months
- contraindications to massage (e.g. skin infections, wounds)
- pregnancy
- participation in other clinical trials in the last 3 months
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Poland · 2 centers
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical C — Cracow
- The "Wieliczka" Salt Mine Health Resort — Wieliczka
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06893445 · 118.0043.1.81.2025