A study on the impact of foot and hand massage on postoperative pain and sedative drug use in cardiac surgery patients

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of foot and hand massage on postoperative pain and 
sedative drug use in cardiac surgery patients. One of the most important problems and complaint that have 
been experienced by patients who are influenced by surgery is the pain. Physiological responses to pain 
create harmful effects on the body recovery after cardiac surgery, and they routinely report mild to moderate 
pain even though sedative drugs have been administered. This study was a clinical trial performed in the 
intensive care cardiac unit (ICCU) and cardiac surgery ward of Gollestan hospital, dependent on 
Jondishapour University of Medical Sciences in Ahwaz city, Iran. Sixty-five patients were selected based on 
aim and randomly assigned to either control (n = 33) or massage group (n = 32). The massage group received 
a 20 min foot and hand massage (each extremity 5 min) and control group rested in bed and researcher was 
near them for 20 min. Pain intensity measured by visual analogue scale and other variables were measured 
by check list before and after intervention in two groups. There was statistically significant difference on the 
pain intensity and type, and amount of sedative drug used between the two groups after intervention 
(massage) (p-value = 0.000). According to the obtained findings, first and second hypothesis were approved, 
and the pain was reduced by hand and foot massage. Our study supports the effectiveness of massage in 
postoperative cardiac surgical pain.