In a randomized, parallel, single-blind controlled trial, researchers examined the effects of foot massage on pain in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Seventy-five subjects were divided into three groups: foot massage provided by a nurse, foot massage provided by the patient’s family, and a control group that did not receive massage.
In the massage (intervention) groups, Swedish massage was performed for five minutes on each foot, once a day for six days. Pain scores were examined before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and one week following the intervention. The mean pain scores in both massage groups showed a significant reduction in pain as compared to the control group.
The results suggest that foot massage, performed by both family and nurses, can reduce the pain of ICU patients.
Read the full study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine at www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2020/3450853.