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Effectiveness of Slow-stroke Back and Hot Stone Massage Therapy on Postoperative Anxiety Management in Orthopedic
Morteza Hojat Ansari1, Seyedeh Zahra Aemmi2, Habibollah Esmaily3
1Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Purpose:
Surgery is a stressful experience for patients, and most surgical patients have some degree of anxiety. Postoperative anxiety management of patients as a nursing intervention and care can be effective in improving the patient's outcome and preventing postoperative complications.
Design:
A randomized controlled trial.
Methods:
Ninety-nine patients were randomly assigned to slow-stroke back or hot stone massage therapy and routine care group after orthopedic surgery from 2023 to 2024. On the first or second day after the surgery, participants in the intervention groups received slow-stroke back or hot stone massage therapy 2 times in the morning and afternoon for 10 to 15 minutes. At the baseline and 30 minutes after the intervention, the anxiety (Spielberger Anxiety Inventory) of patients was measured.
Findings:
Slow-stroke back or hot stone massage therapy significantly decreased patient anxiety compared with the routine care group (P < .001) and also before the intervention (P < .001).
Conclusions:
This study suggests that massage therapy in the form of slow-stroke back or with hot stone can be an effective complementary and alternative care in alleviating postoperative anxiety.
