The purpose of this study was to eliminate factors of accidents during Japanese style bathing of the elderly.
We investigated the age-related changes in cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function in response to the bathing at 40°C. We measured the blood pressure and the heart rate using an automatic spygmomanometer, the skin blood flow at the forearm using laser Doppler flowmetry, the tympanic temperature using a thermistor, and the sweat rate at dorsum manus using the ventilated capsule method during bathing at 40°C for 20min in 10 aged (73.5±8.4, mean±SD) and 10 young subjects (19.8±1.8).
Aged subjects failed to maintain a stable blood pressure during the immersion in the bathtub. While the heart rate during the bathing significantly changed in the young subjects, no change was observed in the aged subjects. Skin blood flow, tympanic temperature, and sweat rate increased during the bathing for both in the aged and the young subjects, though with smaller changes among aged subjects.
These findings suggest that the adaptability of cardiovascular and thermoregulatory functions to heating and hydrostatic pressure during Japanese style bathing decreases with age.

The purpose of this study was to clarify difference in heating effect of the two types of bathing for the elderly, footbathing at 44°C and full bathing at 40°C.
The subjects of this study were nine elderly persons for footbathing (average 73.5 years old) and 10 elderly persons for full bathing (average 77.4 years old). The tympanic temperature was measured using a thermistor, sweat rate using the ventral capsule method, and blood pressure and heart rate using an autonomic spygmomanometer during control period 10 minutes before bathing, for 20 minutes during bathing, and for 10 minutes after bathing. Subjects wore plain clothes while taking a footbath time or swimming trunks while taking a full bathing. The ambient temperature was set to 20°C during the footbath or 26°C during the full bathing.
During the footbath, the tympanic temperature increased to 60% that of full bathing and a significant increase of sweat rate was observed. In contrast, during full bathing, a significant rise in systolic blood pressure was observed immediately after bathing started due to hydrostatic pressure and a significant drop of diastolic pressure was observed after bathing due to heating during bathing.
These findings suggest that the footbath is safe, does not cause any change in blood pressure and is expected to provide mild warming for the elderly.

The purpose of this study was to clarify effects of foot bathing at 44°C for the patients with hemiplegia. The subjects of this study were six patients with hemiplegia (average 71.6 years old) and six healthy volunteers (average 74.3 years old). Blood pressure and heart rate were measured using an autonomic spygmomanometer, tympanic temperature using a thermistor, and sweat rate using the ventrilated capsule method during the control period of 10 minutes before foot bathing, for 20 minutes during foot bathing, and for 10 minutes after foot bathing. Subjects wore a plain clothes while taking a footbath and the ambient temperature was set to 20°C. During foot bathing, heart rate was significantly increased, but blood pressure and pressure-rate product did not changed. Tympanic temperature was no significant changed in both subjects during foot bathing. But a significant increase of sweat rate was observed in patients. In healthy volunteers, in contrast, skin blood flow on the bottom of the foot was significant increased. These findings suggest that regulation system of cardiovascular is slightly declined in the patient, and patient's thermoregulatory system was difficult in healthy humans.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of ingesting spa water on electrogastrography and heart rate variability in humans. The subjects were eight youths (average age 22.3 years old). We measured three and six circles per minute (cpm) power of electrogastrography (EGG), the high-frequency (HF: 0.15-0.4Hz) components, and the ratio of low-frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15Hz) components to HF components in heart rate variability (HRV) during 90 minutes. We also assessed the taste of water, pain or abnormalities in the stomach by questionnaire. The subjects ingested the spa water or purified water after thirty minutes, and ingested no water on a different day. The six cpm power of EGG, presumably reflecting instestinal activity, was significantly increased with spa water ingestion. The three cpm power of EGG, presumably reflecting stomach activity, did not change under any conditions. The HF components in HRV, presumably reflecting cardiac parasympathetic activity, tended to increase with ingestion of spa water. The ratio of LF to HF components in HRV, presumably reflecting cardiac sympathetic activity, significantly decreased with ingestion of spa and purified water. There was no difference in the answers of the questionnaire. These findings suggest that spa water ingestion activates instestinal activity, increasing parasympathetic nerve activity and suppressing sympathetic nerve activity in humans.

Purpose
 This study aimed to clarify the effects of footbath (FB) on motor functions (MFs).
Subjects
 The study population comprised 26 healthy volunteers (12 males and 14 females; age, 21-30years, Standard Deviation,25.5±2.8).
Method
 (1) Study design: The footbath group (FBG; 6 males, 8 females) received FB at 42°C for 20 min after 5-min rest. The control group (CG; 6 males, 6 females) was instructed to sit on the chair for 20 min after 5-min rest. (2) Evaluation of MFs: MF was evaluated using the following parameters: long sitting reach (LSR), grips (GP), quadriceps power, stick reaction, and functional reach (FR). MF was evaluated before the rest period (pre-MF) and after load application (post-MF). The results obtained from pre-MF and post-MF assessments were compared. (3) Measurement of tympanic membrane temperature (TM temp) : TM temp was measured every 1 min duimg load application and after the rest period.
Result
 TM temp: Significant increase in the TM temp in the FBG was observed at 18 min in the males and at 20 min in females.
 MF before and after FB: (1) Analysis of all 26 cases: There was no significant difference betweenthe pre-MF and post-MF parameters in both the FBG and CG. (2) Analysis of the findings in males only: The post-FR value in the FBG increased significantly as compared to the pre-FR value, although there was no significant difference between the pre-MF and post-MF results in the CG. (3)Analysis of the findings in females only: In the FBG, post-LSR value increased and the post-GP value decreased significantly as compared to the corresponding values, although there was no significant difference between the pre-MF and post-MF in the CG.
Conclusion
 Our results suggest that FB improves MF in healthy volunteers. Gender ditiference should be considered while establishing effective FB treatment programs in Balneology.

  The purpose of this study was to clarify effects of foot bath at 42°C for 10 min on cerebral circulation and mental function in elderly persons. The subjects of this study were 12 elderly persons (average 83.1 years old). Tissue hemoglobin concentration and blood flow at the cerebral frontal cortex were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy and blood pressure and heart rate using an autonomic spygmomanometer during for each 10 minutes before foot bath, during foot bath, and after foot bath. We measured subject's arithmetic speed and mistaken numbers as mental function. During foot bath the blood flow and after foot bath oxyhemoglobin at frontal cortex were significantly increased. Heart rate was significant increased after foot bath. But deoxyhemoglobin and blood pressure did not changed during foot bath. In addition to arithmetic speed and mistaken numbers were same before and after foot bath. These findings suggest that cerebral circulation is changed by foot bath, but mental functions is not before and after foot bath.

  The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of isotonic exercise during a 38°C mist sauna on oxygen uptake in comparison with conditions of the exercise only.   The subjects of this study were 10 young persons (average 20.5 years old). Oxygen uptake and breath rate were measured using an expiratory gas analysis system and the tympanic temperature was measured using a thermistor during a control period 10 minutes before the tasks, for 10 minutes during the tasks, and for 10 minutes after the tasks. Heart rate was measured using an autonomic spygmomanometer during the 10 minutes control period before the tasks, at five and 10 minutes during the tasks, and for 10 minutes after the tasks. Body weight was measured before and after the experiment. The temperature and humidity of the mist sauna were set to 38°C and 96%, and the rest room temperature and humidity were set to 28°C and 52%.   In isotonic exercises with mist sauna, the oxygen uptake for 10 min, tympanic temperature and heart rate were all significantly increased, and the body weight was significantly decreased in comparison with exercise only. The oxygen uptake for 10 min during the exercise in the sauna was greater than the value found for exercise only. These results showed synergistic effects due to exercise and heating during the sauna.   These findings suggest that a condition of isotonic exercise with sauna advance energy metabolism in comparison with exercise only, and that we can use this to protect against metabolic syndrome and maintain health.

This study examined the effect of hot-spring bathing (40 to 41°C) on salivary secretion and salivary secretory IgA (sIgA) in healthy volunteers. Ten volunteers (10 men, average 33.6±9.3 years old) bathed in a hot-spring for 10 minutes.
Saliva samples were collected before bathing, during bathing (from 5 to 7 min), and after bathing using the Saxon test. The saliva flow rates and sIgA concentration were determined and then the sIgA secretion rates were calculated.
The saliva flow rates increased significantly during the bathing (p<0.02) and decreased after bathing. The sIgA secretion rates during bathing were significantly higher than those before and after bathing (p<0.02).
The increases in saliva flow rates and sIgA secretion rates during bathing were considered to indicate the improvement of local immunity in the oral cavity and thus considered to be useful for preventing upper respiratory tract infections.

  Komono Town is a well-known spa and health resort in Mie Prefecture. Komono Town has been seeking ways to promote the activities of hot spring area and health resources in surrounding areas. As part of these efforts, Komono Town has developed town-walk programs to promote the health of local residents. In this study, focusing on effect of walking on relaxation, we compared levels of stress hormones and emotional scores obtained before and after walking.

  After giving their informed consent, adult participated in two walking programs, each for a distance of approximately 7 km. Salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after intervention. In addition, the Mood Check List-Short form. 2 (MCL-S.2) and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were used to rate emotions before and after intervention.

  In both programs, walking tended to lower levels of salivary cortisol than resting. Low levels of cortisol, an adrenocortical hormone released during a state of predominantly sympathetic nervous activity, are thought to reflect mental relaxation; our result implies that the walking program enhanced relaxation in subjects. In addition, both MCL-S.2 and VAS rating showed that the subjects tended to feel better, more relaxed and less anxious after intervention.

  These findings suggest that the walking programs are beneficial human body thorough, for example, enhanced relaxation.