Effects of half-body and foot baths on peripheral circulation in healthy adult males: a pilot study.
Yusuke Takahashi, Kazuki Okura, Midori Kaga and 1 others
PMID 36213192WHAT IT FOUND
In 10 healthy men, a 20-minute low-leg bath at 42°C increased earlobe blood flow by 1.7 times baseline and kept it elevated after bathing.
Half-body baths caused a larger initial spike but a rapid drop and a significant rise in pulse rate, while foot baths showed no significant change.
Key findings
01Low-leg bathing increased relative earlobe blood flow to 1.7 times baseline, and this elevation was maintained for 5 minutes after bathing.
02Half-body bathing caused a significantly higher pulse rate 1 minute after bathing compared to foot and low-leg bathing.
03Foot bathing did not significantly increase relative earlobe blood flow during the bath.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study is a pilot with only 10 participants, all healthy adult males, so results may not apply to women, older adults, or people with health conditions. The small sample size limits the certainty of the findings, and the authors explicitly note that usefulness in patients with heart disease needs further confirmation. The study measured earlobe blood flow as a proxy for peripheral circulation, which may not fully represent circulation in the limbs or other areas.
Declared interests
The research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these results apply to patients with heart failure or other cardiovascular diseases. The study was conducted only on healthy young men, and the authors state that safety and efficacy for clinical populations require further research.