Tsay, S.L., Chen, H.L., Chen, S.C., Lin, H.R., & Lin, K.C. (2008). Effects of reflexotherapy on acute postoperative pain and anxiety among patients with digestive cancer. Cancer Nursing, 31(2), 109–115.
To investigate the effects of foot reflexology on pain and anxiety in patients undergoing surgery for digestive cancer
Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group or a control group that received usual care. The intervention consisted of 20 minutes of foot reflexology using a standard protocol. A nurse certified to deliver this treatment provided it on day 2 after surgery, between one and three hours after the patient had received a dose of pain medication. Pain and anxiety were assessed at baseline and on postoperative day 5. A research assistant blinded to the randomization collected data. In the intervention group, pain was assessed before and after the intervention.
Randomized single-blind controlled trial
Foot reflexology as provided in this study may be helpful in reducing postoperative pain.
This type of intervention may be helpful in managing pain in postoperative patients. The relationship between anxiety and pain suggests that efforts to reduce anxiety may affect patients’ perceptions of pain.