Recharging Healthcare Professionals: A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Impact of Automated Massage Chairs on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Musculoskeletal Pain, and Biochemical Markers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Massage therapy has been shown to alleviate stress and improve well-being, making it a promising intervention for healthcare professionals who often face high levels of job-related stress. This study investigated the effects of automated massage chair therapy on negative emotional states, musculoskeletal pain, and biochemical markers in healthcare professionals.

METHODS

Twenty-four healthcare professionals with moderate levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were randomly assigned to either an automated massage chair group or a progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) group. Each group received 15-min sessions, three times per week for 4 weeks, totaling 12 sessions. The depression, anxiety, and stress scale-21 items (DASS-21), the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and blood biomarkers [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cortisol, beta-endorphin, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and myeloperoxidase (MPO)] were measured at baseline, after six sessions, and after 12 sessions.

RESULTS

The massage chair group showed significant reductions in depression scores at 6 sessions (Z = -2.043,  = 0.041), and in stress scores at 6 (Z = -2.499,  = 0.012) and 12 sessions (Z = -2.326,  = 0.020). Calf pain scores improved significantly at 12 sessions (right calf: Z = -2.677,  = 0.007; left calf: Z = -2.253,  = 0.024), and lower back pain reduced at both 6 (Z = -2.275,  = 0.023) and 12 sessions (Z = -2.517,  = 0.012). MPO levels were significantly reduced in the massage group post-intervention (F [1, 22] = 7.956,  = 0.01; t [11] = 2.959,  = 0.013), indicating anti-inflammatory effects. A significant time effect was also observed for beta-endorphin (F [1, 22] = 6.632,  = 0.017), with reduced levels after massage (t [11] = 3.321,  = 0.007). No significant changes were found in anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate, BDNF, cortisol, SOD1, or eNOS.

CONCLUSIONS

Automated massage chair therapy significantly alleviated depression, stress, and musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the calves and lower back, with modest biochemical changes such as reduced MPO and beta-endorphin levels. These findings support massage chair use as a convenient, noncontact strategy to enhance psychological and physical well-being in healthcare professionals.