Research

Thesis

«Correction of Psychoemotional State Through the Neuromuscular Relaxation of the Face» (thesis supervisor: A.A. Kukshina, Doctor of Sciences, Senior Research Associate at the Department of Rehabilitation, Autonomous Public Healthcare Institution Moscow Center for Research and Rehabilitation).

Randomized controlled trials with 151 female subjects have been performed at the Moscow Center for Research and Practice Rehabilitation. Anastasia Dubinskaya and her colleagues have demonstrated for the first time that psychoemotional disorders in otherwise healthy women result in the high bioelectrical activity of facial muscles, their functional asymmetry, and increased tenderness on palpation. It has been shown for the first time that the combined use of myofascial massage and self-massage techniques significantly decreases the severity of depression as well as state and trait anxiety parameters.

Conclusion

1. The psychoemotional state of female patients seeking esthetic treatment is characterized by symptoms of depression of various severity in 46.6% of cases, high levels of state and trait anxiety in 22.0% and 42.0% of cases, respectively, as well as low quality of life regarding the mental and physical health in 29.8% and 16.6% of cases, respectively, with a high bioelectrical activity of facial muscles in 61% of cases.
2. The study revealed a positive correlation between depression and state and trait anxiety parameters and electromyography parameters of facial muscles (m. corrugator supercilii, m. masseter, m. depressor anguli oris, m. nasalis) in female patients seeking esthetic treatment. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between the mental health domains score as per SF-36 and Self-confidence, Well-being, and Appearance self-assessment parameters and electromyography parameters of facial muscles.
3. Self-massage of the face and neck by itself ensures a significant reduction in depression as per the Beck Depression Inventory by 34.5% and state anxiety by 15.9%, as well as improvement in the quality of life and self-assessment parameters by 12.2% and 14.8%, respectively, with a significant decrease in the bioelectrical activity of facial muscles by 22% on average. By comparison, myofascial massage by itself provides for a significant reduction in depression as per the Beck Depression Inventory by 45.6% and state anxiety by 16.1%, as well as improvement in the quality of life and self-assessment parameters by 9.2% and 13.0% on average, respectively, with a significant decrease in the bioelectrical activity of facial muscles by 29.3% on average.
4. Combination neuromuscular relaxation procedures (myofascial massage and self-massage of the face and neck) ensure a significant reduction in subjective depression by 58.7% and state anxiety by 29.5%, as was as an improvement in the quality of life as per SF-36 by 13.1% on average and the mean VAS score by 14.1%, with a significant decrease in the bioelectrical activity of facial muscles by 43.5%. Thus, combination procedures are superior to just self-massage or myofascial massage.
5. According to the long-term results of combination neuromuscular relaxation procedures, there is a significant improvement in depression, state and trait anxiety, and Self-confidence, Appearance, and Well-being self-assessment parameters, as well as General Health, Social Role Functioning, and Emotional Role Functioning scores as per SF-36, compared to the post-study data.