Study finds Jin Shin Jyutsu reduced heart rate significantly in stroke survivors

This study, conducted by Kristina McFadden and Theresa Hernandez of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado at Boulder, investigated the effects of Jin Shin Jyutsu on cardiovascular function in stroke survivors, a population that could especially benefit from a treatment promoting cardiovascular health. The study tested the hypothesis that active acupressure (Jin Shin Jyutsu) treatments would reduce heart rate and blood pressure (i.e., induce a greater relaxation response) above and beyond that seen during placebo acupressure treatments.

Methods: A randomised, placebo-controlled, single-blind crossover design was utilised, in which 16 participants received 8 weeks of either active or placebo acupressure followed by washout and crossover into the opposite treatment condition. Heart rate and blood pressure measurements were taken throughout treatments.
Results: Active acupressure treatments were associated with a significantly greater and faster reduction in heart rate compared to that seen during placebo treatments. No treatment effect on blood pressure was found.

Conclusions: Active acupressure reduced heart rate significantly more than did placebo acupressure during treatments. Although no treatment effect on blood pressure was found, this could be due to 67% of participants taking antihypertensive medications during the study.

The study also concluded that the data suggests that Jin Shin Jyutsu “warrants further study as a possible adjunct treatment for stroke survivors. This is especially important given acupressure’s potential as a self-sustaining treatment tool that, once learned, can be used independently”.

The study was published in Elsevier’s Complementary Therapies in Medicine Journal (2010) 18, 42—48.