Term of Award

Spring 1998

Degree Name

Master of Science

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Department

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Committee Chair

James L. McMillan

Committee Member 1

W. Kent Guion

Committee Member 2

Carol L. Simonson

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects Therapeutic Touch had on pain and range of motion (ROM) associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Thirty four female subjects from physical education classes at Georgia Southern University volunteered for this single blind study. Each subject read and signed an informed consent form and completed a pre-participation questionnaire prior to their participation in the investigation. DOMS was induced in the non-dominate biceps of all subjects via eccentric biceps curls. Subjects were then randomly assigned to one of three groups. Group I was the control group which received a mimicked therapeutic touch treatment. Group II received therapeutic touch treatment 24 hours after delayed onset muscle soreness was induced, and Group III received therapeutic touch treatment immediately after DOMS was induced. Baseline pain and ROM measurements were obtained before DOMS was induced. Pain and ROM measurements were followed for 24, and 48 hours after DOMS was induced, and after treatments. The alpha level was set at p<0.05. One-way ANOVA was performed to test for differences that existed in groups before DOMS was induced. No significant differences were found between groups on pre pain, ROM, flexion, and extension before DOMS was induced, P=.404, p=.636, p=.263, p=.966 respectively. Tests of within subject contrast did show significant differences within subject groups and between time intervals for ROM and pain scores. The differences were found to be between pre and post pain p=.001, post pain and pain at 24 hours p=.001, pain at 24 hours and 48 hours post DOMS p=.001, pre ROM and post ROM p=.001; post ROM and ROM at 24 hours p=.044; and ROM at 24 hours and 48 hours p=.001. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures found no significant differences between groups on pain, p=.326, and ROM, p=.570, over time The results of this study indicated that Therapeutic Touch had no effect on pain and decreased ROM associated with delayed onset muscle soreness.

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