OBJECTIVES: We aimed to appraise the effects of a manual therapy program (MTP) on stress by modulation of autonomic nervous system evaluated by rate heart variability before and after the treatment. METHODS: The study design used was quasi-experimental, pre-post-test of MTP. The sessions were applied during 45 min, twice a week, for 9 weeks. Psychological stress was evaluated using adolescents stress questionnaire (ASQ). Beat-to-beat rate heart frequency (HR, bpm) were recorded in 16 young healthy volunteers (19-20 years old; 8 women) 15 min before and after the first and the last session with S810i - Polar® -Finland in supine position. Descriptors of the Poincaré plot and time domain of HR variability (HRV) were analyzed in 5 min (Kubios HRV Analysis Software). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: ANOVA followed Tukey or Bonferroni and t Student tests paired and unpaired tests, considering p<0.05 as significant. RESULTS: MTP reduced ASQ values from 143 ± 8 to 114 ± 6 and HR from 81+4 to 71+2 bpm. Significantly effects were also found post-MTP in HRV time domain, analyzed at linear and geometric way, sowing an overall increased on parasympathetic tonus and on global activity of heart. CONCLUSION: The students enrolled in the MTP showed improved psychological and physiological health status from pre to post-treatment and the increased on parasympathetic tonus and in the global activity of heart contributed to this effect.
