4-7-8 Breathing Techniques Make It Possible to Reduce Pain Associated With Total Knee Arthroplasty: A New Technique...

Orthopedic and traumatology surgeries performed to repair or reconstruct muscles, bones, and soft tissues are known to cause severe postoperative pain, and various interventions can be used for effective pain management. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the 4-7-8 breathing technique on postoperative pain intensity in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

The study used a quasi-experimental method focusing on a single-group pre-post test design.

The research study was conducted between April 2022 and May 2023 at a university hospital in southern Turkey. The 4-7-8 breathing technique was taught to patients by the researcher one day before surgery and was applied postoperatively. Pain assessment was conducted using the Numerical Rating Scale at three time points: before the breathing technique was applied, immediately after, and 30 minutes later. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Friedman tests.

The study participants had a mean age of 67.24 ± 8.30 years; the majority (83.6%) were women. The average pain score was 7.25 ± 1.28 before the postsurgical breathing exercise, decreasing to 6.27 ± 1.4 immediately after surgery and further to 3.84 ± 2.01 after 30 minutes. The differences in pain intensity across these time points were statistically significant (ꭓ² = 90.921; P < .001).

The 4-7-8 breathing technique has been shown to effectively reduce pain intensity in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. As a simple, cost-effective, and noninvasive method, it can be easily taught by nurses and incorporated into postoperative care. Integrating this technique into pain management may improve patient recovery and overall well-being.