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A Profile of Field Energy, Ability to Perform Activities of Daily Living, and Anxiety, and the Efficacy of Therapeutic Back Massage (TBM) Following a Sudden Episode of Physical Disablement

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Chin-Fang Liu, PhD, RN1
Chien-Yu Lai, PhD, RN2
Sheng-Lan Shieh, MS, RN3
Tsung-Yu Tsai, MS3
Chich-Hsiu Hung, PhD, RN4
Min-Tao Hsu, PhD, RN5
(1)Nursing Department, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Taoyuan County 33303, Taiwan
(2)College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
(3)Nursing Department, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
(4)School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
(5)School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to learn the dynamic nature of the field energy in state of sudden episode of physical disablement by employing diaries.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to learn the knowledge and skills on therapeutic back massage.

Background: Aging has become a critical global issue and there are increased numbers of elders are suddenly become physically disabled due to orthopedic injury/surgery. In disabled elders, perceived energy and anxiety are significantly related to ones’ capabilities.

Purpose: To test the effects of a 10-minute therapeutic back massage (TBM) over three consecutive days in disabled elders on the
outcome variables of perceived energy, capability, anxiety, HR, BP, and respiration between experimental and control groups. To direct toward longitudinal studies using 21-day diaries aimed at understanding the dynamic nature of energy field and anxiety of disabled elders through long-term rehabilitation.

Methods: Experimental research design was applied. Sixty participants were recruited from the orthopedic unit at a Medical Center in Southern Taiwan and randomly assigned to experimental (n=30, receiving TBM) and control group (n=30, receiving standard routine care; SRC). The duration of TBM/SRC was 10 minutes over three consecutive evenings. Data were collected (1) before, (2) immediately after, (3) 10 minutes after, and (4) 20 minutes after TBM/SRC. The WPS, the Index of Self- Report ADL, the VAS-Anxiety, the BAI, and the Terumo Digital BP Monitoring System were employed. Daily diaries were administered to capture day-to-day variations among variables and to explore the continuing effects of TBM.

Results: Findings showed that, 20 minutes after TBM, the experimental group reported significantly decreased anxiety and BP levels, and had significantly increased perceived energy as compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in HR and respiration between the two groups. Moderate to high increases in capability and energy were observed through diaries.   

Conclusions: By repeated sampling, illuminating the dynamic course of life for elders after a sudden disablement and post rehabilitation convalescence. The findings revealed the efficacy of TBM to relieving anxiety and increasing perceived energy and capability in disabled elders.

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