The Effect of Self-Massage on Immune Function, Stress, and Quality of Life in Young Adults: A Pilot Randomized Control Trial

Abstract

Introduction: Addressing immune challenges and stress in young adults is crucial due to the impact of academic and early career pressures. Self-massage, a cost-effective technique, may provide health benefits.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of self-massage on immune function, stress, and quality of life in young adults. Secondary objectives included evaluating the feasibility, adherence, and safety of the intervention.

Methods: A total of 38 healthy young adults (58% women, aged 18–26 years) were randomly assigned to a self-massage group (n = 18) or a control group (n = 20) for an 8-week intervention. Outcome measures included immune status, perceived immune function, perceived health, stress levels, and quality of life, which were analyzed using mixed-effects repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with the pretest as a covariate.

Results: The self-massage group adhered to the protocol without adverse events. The self-massage group demonstrated significant improvements in immune status compared to the control group (p = 0.044) and a significant within-group change (p = 0.028). While significant time effects were observed for all outcomes, within-group improvements were noted only for perceived immune status (p = 0.032) and perceived general health (p = 0.022) in the self-massage group.

Conclusion: Self-massage enhances immune function and perceived general health in young adults, offering an effective approach. Future research should incorporate objective measures of the immune system, examine its long-term effects, and investigate its integration with other relaxation techniques to validate and expand these findings.