Effect of Developing the Skills of Thai Massage of Teenagers for Relaxing in People with Shoulder and Neck Pain

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental research was to determine the effects of Thai massage skill development among teenagers who practiced Thai relaxing massage for people with shoulder and neck pain. Study’s participants were composed of 16 female teenagers studying in Benjamanusorn School, Muang District, Chanthaburi Province, and 16 parents or relatives of theirs. The research tools consisted of the relaxing Thai massage program, the Thai massage manual, a pain scale, a relaxation evaluation scale with the reliability of .79, and a questionnaire of satisfaction with the reliability of .82. The implementation and data collection were conducted from June to August 2015. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and paired t-test.

The results were as follows:

1. Before the relaxing massage by teenagers, people with shoulder and neck pain had an average pain score of 3.87 (SD = 1.54); whereas, an average pain score after the relaxing massage was 2.31 (SD = 1.43). Also, an average pain score after massage was statistically significantly lower than that before massage (t = 3.983, p < .01).

2. The percentages of participants with pain relief at high, moderate, and very high levels were 68.75, 18.75, and 12.50, respectively.

3. The percentages of participants with satisfaction toward relaxing Thai massage at high, very high, and moderate levels were 68.75, 18.75, and 12.50, respectively.

This study suggested that nurses should promote skill of health care for people by teaching basic Thai massage in young people to enhance their knowledge, understanding, and good attitude. Doing so, teenagers will be able to use Thai massage in health care for themselves and their family.