An experimental Study on immediate effect of direct barefoot contact with earth on prehypertension

Background and Objective: Though many factors are involved in the regulation of arterial blood pressure (BP), autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role in acute, short-term control. Any imbalance in ANS activity leads to dysregulation of BP and increases the risk of prehypertension. Recently, a few studies have shown that when the body is connected to the earth’s surface using conductive patches or wires, there will be an immediate correction of ANS dysfunction. Expecting similar results, the present study was designed to evaluate the short-term effects of direct barefoot contact with the earth, i.e. without using patches or wires, on prehypertension. Methods: After screening 150 participants, 53 prehypertensives were selected for the study. They were randomly assigned into a study group (n=28) and control group (n=25). Each participant from the study group remained barefooted; i.e. in contact with the ground, for a period of an hour, whereas the control group did not have ground contact. Blood pressure was recorded again at the end of one hour and compared. Data were analysed by paired and unpaired ‘t’ test. A ‘P’ value less than 0.005 was considered significant. Results: There was a significant decrease in SBP (P<0.0001), DBP (P<0.0014) and MBP (P<0.0001) of study subjects after an hour of barefoot contact. However, there was no significant change in the control group. Conclusion: Our study results indicate that direct barefoot contact with the earth reduces blood pressure in prehypertensive individuals. Remaining barefoot, whenever possible, can be a simple, cost-effective and innovative method in preventing hypertension