Impact of Foot Massage for Lower Leg Edema in Late Pregnancy

Abstract

Leg oedema in late pregnancy can cause pregnant pain to the pregnant woman, feelings of heaviness, night cramps and paraesthesiae. Foot massage is suggested as treatment for this problem.Aim of work: to evaluate the effect of foot massage in reducing ankle and foot edema at late pregnancy.Subjects and Methods: Sixty women from Helal Hospital in Bakkos in Alexandria were randomized to one of two groups; the experimental group received foot massage and the control group didn't receive it. Circumference measurements of ankles (1), insteps (2) and foot/toe junctions (3) were recorded before and after intervention. Results: After applying foot massage, significant reductions in all of the studied measurements were found in the experimental group as shown by the paired test comparison. Also, patients in the experimental group had significantly lower levels of most of the studied measurements when compared with the control group after implementation of the study intervention. Conclusions: Foot massage may be an effective intervention for relief of lower leg edema in late pregnancy.Foot massage as pure nursing intervention in late pregnancy is highly recommended in order to relieve lower leg edema and pain