• Rana Alameri, Grace Dean, Jessica Castner, Ellen Volpe, Yasser Elghoneimy, and Carla Jungquist.
• Department of Fundamental Nursing, College Nursing, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: raalamri@iau.edu.sa.
• Pain Manag Nurs. 2020 Aug 1; 21 (4): 314322314-322.

BackgroundPain is the most pervasive distressing symptom following cardiac surgery. Forty percent of postoperative cardiac patients report inadequate pain management. Undertreated acute pain results in increased anxiety, delayed wound healing, and increased chance of persistent chronic pain. Foot massage is a safe, visible complementary approach to manage acute pain following surgery.AimThe aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of integrating foot massage therapy for managing postcardiac pain.MethodA randomized placebo controlled single blinded trial comparing foot massage to placebo was conducted at a large hospital in Saudi Arabia. Thirty-one patients who had undergone cardiac surgery (16 in experimental and 15 in placebo group) participated in the study. Ten-minute foot massage was delivered to the experimental group by a nurse researcher, twice during one day, within 30 minutes after receiving an opioid pain medication.ResultsThe findings of this study indicate that foot massage significantly (p < .05) decreases pain intensity and anxiety in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery compared with a placebo control group.ConclusionProviding non-pharmacologic interventions for pain is the responsibility of the nursing staff. Foot massage is within the scope of nursing practice and is a safe and effective manner of improving patient care. Foot massage in conjunction with pharmacological interventions is effective in improving pain and anxiety. Future studies should consider focusing on frequency, dose, feasibility, acceptability, and participants' satisfaction.Copyright © 2019 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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