Trial document
This trial has been registered retrospectively.
DRKS00006760
Trial Description
Title
Effects of eurythmy therapy on heart rate variability and cardiorespiratory coordination
Trial Acronym
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URL of the Trial
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Brief Summary in Lay Language
In the years 1912-1924 Rudolf Steiner initiated a new movement art called eurythmy. Initially, it was developed as an art form and emerged as a new kind of dance that makes inwardly experienced movements and forces externally visible through appropriate gestures. Such movement is e.g. breathing in and out. The movement of the lungs and chest, rhythmically expand and contract, can be mimicked by the gesture capabilities of the arms, or with the whole body. From the early 1920ies, after the Anthroposophical medicine was developed in collaboration with physicians, eurythmy has also been used therapeutically. Therapeutic effects of eurythmy have been investigated in many different ways and numerous publications on this topic have been published. Still, despite many successful application and experience, the research in this field is still developing. In this study, physiological alterations during eurythmy therapy have been studied by means of the analysis of heart rate variability. Changes in heart rate dynamics can for example be analyzed by spectral analysis of heart rate variability. The aim of this study is to investigate changes of heart rate variability and repiration during eurythmy therapy.
Brief Summary in Scientific Language
Physiological effects of art therapies such as therapeutic speech have already been shown. Speech exercises shapes breathing strongly (rhythm and amplitude). Hence, respiratory sinus arrhythmia occurs indicating direct effects on cardiovascular physiology (including change of heart rhythm or heart rate variability).
Here, eurythmy therapy is studied analogously in this study. An essential part of eurythmy therapy is the internally guided movement. The movements may exert direct effects on the cardiovascular physiology. The aim of the study is to investigate changes in heart rate variability during different eurythmy therapy exercises. The study is carried out with healthy subjects. The results are intended to assess the therapeutic impact of this part of eurythmy therapy.
Do you plan to share individual participant data with other researchers?
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Description IPD sharing plan:
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Organizational Data
- DRKS00006760
- 2014/10/10
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- yes
- Approved
- 22/2007, Ethik-Kommission der Universität Witten/Herdecke
Secondary IDs
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Health Condition or Problem studied
- Basic study to assess physiologic effects of eurythmy therapy on cardiovascular physiology (heart rate variability) in healthy subjects.
Interventions/Observational Groups
- Eurythmy exercises 'I think the saying' and 'Migraine B'
- Control exercises: Body movements analogously to the eurythmy therapies 'I think the saying' and 'Migraine B' but without special inner aspects
Characteristics
- Interventional
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- Non-randomized controlled trial
- Open (masking not used)
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- Active control (effective treament of control group)
- Basic research/physiological study
- Crossover
- N/A
- N/A
Primary Outcome
Alterations of cardiovascular regulation during eurythmy therapy exercises assessed by analysis of heart rate variability.
Secondary Outcome
No secondary outcome specified.
Countries of Recruitment
- Germany
Locations of Recruitment
- other
Recruitment
- Actual
- 2007/05/09
- 40
- Monocenter trial
- National
Inclusion Criteria
- Both, male and female
- 18 Years
- 60 Years
Additional Inclusion Criteria
Healthy subjects
- especially healthy cardiovascular system
- no intake of medicaments
- no alcohol before the start of recordings
- no caffeine (coffee) before the start of recordings
Exclusion Criteria
- diseases (also chronic diseases like diabetes), especially of the cardiovascular system
- intake of caffeine before the start of the recordings
- intake of alcohol before the start of the recordings
- acute infections
- pregnancy
Addresses
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start of 1:1-Block address primary-sponsor
- Integriertes Begleitstudium Anthroposophische Medizin, Verein zur Förderung von Lehre und Forschung in der Anthroposophischen Medizin, c/o Universität Witten/Herdecke
- Alfred-Herrhausen-Str. 50
- 58448 Witten
- Germany
end of 1:1-Block address primary-sponsorstart of 1:1-Block address contact primary-sponsor- [---]*
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end of 1:1-Block address contact primary-sponsor -
start of 1:1-Block address scientific-contact
- Integriertes Begleitstudium Anthroposophische MedizinUniversität Witten/Herdecke
- Mr. PD Dr. Dirk Cysarz
- Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4
- 58313 Herdecke
- Germany
end of 1:1-Block address scientific-contactstart of 1:1-Block address contact scientific-contact- +49 2330 623637
- +49 2330 624061
- d.cysarz at rhythmen.de
- http://www.uni-wh.de/anthroposophische-medizin/
end of 1:1-Block address contact scientific-contact -
start of 1:1-Block address public-contact
- Integriertes Begleitstudium Anthroposophische MedizinUniversität Witten/Herdecke
- Mr. PD Dr. Dirk Cysarz
- Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4
- 58313 Herdecke
- Germany
end of 1:1-Block address public-contactstart of 1:1-Block address contact public-contact- +49 2330 623637
- +49 2330 624061
- d.cysarz at rhythmen.de
- http://www.uni-wh.de/anthroposophische-medizin/
end of 1:1-Block address contact public-contact
Sources of Monetary or Material Support
-
start of 1:1-Block address materialSupport
- Integriertes Begleitstudium Anthroposophische Medizin, Verein zur Förderung von Lehre und Forschung in der Anthroposophischen Medizin, c/o Universität Witten/Herdecke
- Alfred-Herrhausen-Str. 50
- 58448 Witten
- Germany
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end of 1:1-Block address contact materialSupport
Status
- Recruiting complete, follow-up complete
- 2007/06/04