IOBA - Impact on Body Awareness

Johannes Kepler University of Linz

Status: Completed

Conditions: Body Image; Perception, Self; Self-Assessment

Treatments: Other: Lecture; Procedure: Massage; Procedure: Gymnastics

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05004272

PMR_IOBA_01

Details and patient eligibility

About

Due to social isolation and increased stress factors during the COVID-19 pandemic an increase of psychological and psychosomatic complaints in the population can be observed. There is growing evidence of the importance of body awareness (BA) in these complaints. The question arises how BA can be modified through therapeutic measures. The Awareness Body Chart (ABC), an innovative non-verbal tool for investigating subjective body awareness, implemented in clinical practice brings to light astonishing findings of patients' bodily experiences which have not been collected through verbal communication so far. In a randomized controlled study with 96 healthy adults in three groups (massage, gymnastics and control group), the use of the ABC questionnaire and further German questionnaires (Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body, self-rating mood scale - revised) concerning body awareness and well-being should analyse the following hypotheses: Primary hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the massage group and the control group, and there is a difference in the change of BA between the gymnastics group and the control group. Secondary hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the massage group and the gymnastics group. Before interventions demographic data and further questionnaires concerning health conditions of the participants (Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire, Short Form Health Survey, Brief Symptom Inventory and additional questions) are administered. Correlations between BA and the results of these tests will be investigated too. All these analyses can provide innovative information about BA and be indicative in the use of physiotherapeutic measures.

Enrollment: 96 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy volunteers
• Signing of informed consent by participants and head of the study
• Understanding of German language in order to be able to follow a lecture and complete questionnaires

Exclusion criteria

• Current sick leave
• Pregnancy
• Acute physical or psychological complaints on the day of study participation
• Chronic illnesses / disabilities which make it difficult to participate in a moderate exercise while standing
• Chronic diseases / impairments that make it difficult to lie prone for a massage
• Current illnesses or injuries that are a contraindication for hand massages or gymnastics

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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96 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Massage

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Procedure: Massage

Gymnastics

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Procedure: Gymnastics

Lecture

Placebo Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Lecture