Key result
Manual lymph drainage significantly altered heart rate variability compared to rest (p < 0.05), effectively reducing sympathetic nervous system activity in healthy male subjects.
Why the study?
Does manual lymph drainage improve cardiac autonomic tone in healthy male subjects?
RCT (n=32)
Does manual lymph drainage improve cardiac autonomic tone in healthy male subjects?
Manual lymph drainage effectively reduces sympathetic nervous system activity in healthy male subjects.
MLD altered HRV in healthy males; hypothesis-generating for autonomic effects, with no implications for patient care yet.
This study was designed to investigate the effects of manual lymph drainage on the cardiac autonomic tone. Thirty-two healthy male subjects were randomly assigned to manual lymph drainage (MLD) (experimental) and rest (control) groups. Electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters were recorded with bipolar electrocardiography using standard limb lead positions. The pressure-pain threshold (PPT) was quantitatively measured using an algometer. Heart rate variability differed significantly between the experimental and control groups (p < 0.05), but the PPT in the upper trapezius muscle did not (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that the application of MLD was effective in reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.
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Kim et al. (2009) conducted an RCT in Healthy (n=32). Manual lymph drainage (MLD) vs. Rest was evaluated on Heart rate variability (p=< 0.05). Manual lymph drainage significantly altered heart rate variability compared to rest (p < 0.05), effectively reducing sympathetic nervous system activity in healthy male subjects.
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