Effects of Foot Massage on Severity of Fatigue and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Hosein Habibzadeh, Osman Wosoi Dalavan, Leyla Alilu and 3 others
PMID 32309451WHAT IT FOUND
Foot massage during hemodialysis lowered fatigue in men, especially with almond oil.
Quality of life scores rose in massage groups, but did not beat control overall, so fatigue relief is the clearer signal.
Key findings
01All three foot massage groups had significantly lower fatigue scores than the control group after two months, and almond-oil massage showed significant differences from the other groups.
02Quality of life improved within each massage group, but the overall post-intervention difference between groups was not significant; chamomile-oil massage showed significant pairwise advantages.
03The massage was performed during hemodialysis, and all participants continued routine hemodialysis care, so it was an add-on to standard treatment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only male hemodialysis patients in Iran, so results may not apply to women or other settings. Participants and the massage provider could not be blinded because the oils were noticeable, and fatigue and quality of life were self-reported. Allocation was done by drawing numbered slips from a basket, which may not provide strong allocation concealment. Follow-up was only two months, so long-term benefit or harm is unknown. The overall between-group quality-of-life difference after treatment was not significant, even though some within-group and pairwise comparisons were. Patients' psychological state during questionnaire completion was not examined in detail.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that foot massage with oils reliably improves quality of life in hemodialysis patients. The overall post-treatment quality-of-life difference between groups was not significant, and the trial was short, unblinded and based on self-reported outcomes.