The Effect of Relaxation Techniques and Back Massage on Pain and Anxiety in Turkish Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty Patients

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of relaxation techniques and back massage on postoperative pain, anxiety, and vital signs on postoperative days 1-3 in patients who had undergone total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA). Sixty patients having a THA or TKA were randomly assigned to either a experimental group or a control group. The McGill Pain Questionnaire Short Form (MPQ-SF) and State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) were used to measure pain and anxiety, respectively. Vital signs, including blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), pulse, and respiratory rate, were also obtained. Statistically significant differences in pain intensity (F = 14.50; p = .000), anxiety level (F = 19.13; p = .000), and vital signs (F = 169.61, 9.14, 14.23, 65.64; p = .000) measured over time were found between the experimental and the control group. Results of this research provide evidence to support the use of relaxation techniques and back massage at bed rest times of patients to decrease pain and anxiety. The interventions helped them to forget about their pain for a while and improved their anxiety state. After an evaluation of the conclusions, use of these interventions should be implemented by nurses into routine plans of care for patients.