IOBA - Impact on Body Awareness

Due to social isolation and increased stress factors during the COVID-19 pandemic an increase of psychological and psychosomatic complaints in the population can be observed. There is growing evidence of the importance of body awareness (BA) in these complaints. The question arises how BA can be modified through therapeutic measures. The Awareness Body Chart (ABC), an innovative non-verbal tool for investigating subjective body awareness, implemented in clinical practice brings to light astonishing findings of patients' bodily experiences which have not been collected through verbal communication so far. In a randomized controlled study with 96 healthy adults in three groups (massage, gymnastics and control group), the use of the ABC questionnaire and further German questionnaires (Short questionnaire on self-perception of the body, self-rating mood scale - revised) concerning body awareness and well-being should analyse the following hypotheses: Primary hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the massage group and the control group, and there is a difference in the change of BA between the gymnastics group and the control group. Secondary hypothesis: There is a difference in the change of BA between the massage group and the gymnastics group. Before interventions demographic data and further questionnaires concerning health conditions of the participants (Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire, Short Form Health Survey, Brief Symptom Inventory and additional questions) are administered. Correlations between BA and the results of these tests will be investigated too. All these analyses can provide innovative information about BA and be indicative in the use of physiotherapeutic measures.