WATSU and Body Awareness

NCT05769543 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: IWOBA_1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Body awareness (BA) is an essential factor for health and well-being. In 2021, the IOBA (Impact on Body Awareness) study was conducted at the Institute of Physical Medicine \& Rehabilitation at Kepler University Hospital. Thereby, the impact of massage and of gymnastics on BA in healthy individuals was surveyed. The protocol provides a solid basis for further research projects on BA. In the present study, the direct effect of a WATSU® (Shiatsu in Water) application on BA as well as on the state of health of healthy persons will be determined and BA will be further investigated. In a randomized controlled study with 60 healthy adults in two groups (WATSU and control group), the use of the Awareness Body Chart (ABC) questionnaire and further German questionnaires (Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body, self-rating mood scale - revised) concerning body awareness and well-being should analyse the following hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the WATSU group and the control group. Before interventions demographic data and further questionnaires concerning health conditions of the participants (Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire, Short Form Health Survey, Brief Symptom Inventory, Like/Dislike Body Chart and additional questions) are administered. Correlations between BA and the results of these tests will be investigated too. All these analyses can provide innovative information about BA and be indicative in the use of physiotherapeutic measures.

Conditions

Perception, Self; Body Image; Self-Assessment

Keywords

Body Awareness; WATSU

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Awareness Body Chart Questionnaire

  Body charts to fill in with colours according to intensity of body awareness. In sum, 51 body regions to colour with 5 different colour pencils (orange = "I can perceive with much detail", yellow = "I can perceive distinctly", green = "I can perceive", blue = "I can perceive indistinctly", black = "I cannot perceive"). To quantify the information, every region of the body will be coded as an extra item and the data of the colours will be transcribed: orange (= 5), yellow (= 4), green (= 3), blue (= 2), black (= 1). Higher values mean higher intensity of body awareness.

  Before intervention

• Awareness Body Chart Questionnaire

  Body charts to fill in with colours according to intensity of body awareness. In sum, 51 body regions to colour with 5 different colour pencils (orange = "I can perceive with much detail", yellow = "I can perceive distinctly", green = "I can perceive", blue = "I can perceive indistinctly", black = "I cannot perceive"). To quantify the information, every region of the body will be coded as an extra item and the data of the colours will be transcribed: orange (= 5), yellow (= 4), green (= 3), blue (= 2), black (= 1). Higher values mean higher intensity of body awareness.

  Immediately after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body

  Before intervention

• Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body

  Immediately after intervention

• Self-rating mood scale - revised

  Before intervention

• Self-rating mood scale - revised

  Immediately after intervention

Other Outcomes (9)

• Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire

  Before intervention

• Short Form Health Survey (SF-12)

  Before intervention

• Brief Symptom Inventory

  Before intervention

Study Arms (2)

WATSU application

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Procedure: WATSU application

Control

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Other: Lecture

Interventions

WATSU application PROCEDURE

20-minute application of WATSU

WATSU application

Lecture OTHER

20-minute lecture on WATSU technique

Control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy volunteers
• Signing of informed consent by participants and head of the study
• Understanding of German language in order to be able to follow a lecture and complete questionnaires

You may not qualify if:

• Current sick leave
• Pregnancy
• Acute physical or psychological complaints on the day of study participation
• Chronic illnesses / disabilities which contraindicate participation or make it difficult to use the therapy pool
• Current illnesses or injuries

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Johannes Kepler University of Linz: lead
• Medical University of Graz: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Kepler University Hospital

Linz, 4020, Austria

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 3, 2023
• First Posted: March 15, 2023
• Study Start: March 20, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 15, 2023
• Study Completion: June 15, 2023
• Last Updated: April 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2023-03

Locations

AU (1)