The Daily Bulletin Archive

Members of the campus community are invited to participate in a research study on stress reduction conducted by adjunct faculty members Diane Marra and Shannon Hockwater in the Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department. Participation in the study consists of a stress reduction class that involves either a guided session in mindful meditation or “rolling out” areas of your body known to respond to stress using rubber therapy balls. Measurements will be recorded at the beginning and end of the session (questionnaires, heart rate, blood pressure, shoulder position). The total session time is 75 minutes.

All participants will receive free admission to a self-myofascial release class (held in August) and a set of Yoga Tune-Up therapy balls to take home.

To be eligible, participants must complete and return the PAR-Q form by Wednesday, July 20. The 75-minute research session will be held on Tuesday, July 26, or Thursday, July 28, in the Physiology Lab in Houston Gym 104.

Study participants MUST NOT

• be pregnant,
• be allergic to latex,
• have had surgery in the past 12 months,
• be taking any drugs that alter heart rate (pseudoephedrine, blood pressure drugs, etc.),
• use massage therapy technique regularly or in the past three months,
• have participated in a self-myofascial release class or yoga class for the last three months,
• have been engaged in regular musculoskeletal treatment for the last three months.

Study participants MUST

• be between 18 and 35 years of age,
• be apparently healthy (qualified by a health screening questionnaire).