Effect of massage therapy with and without bandaging on pain, edema and problems of upper extremity musculoskeletal system after modified radical

Pain and problems of the upper limb musculoskeletal system in women after mastectomy are unpleasant and common complications that preventing it can affect the surgical outcomes. This study was performed with aim to evaluate the effect ofmassage therapy with and without bandaging on pain, edema and problems of upper extremity musculoskeletal system after modified radical mastectomy.

This clinical trial study was performed over 18 months (2018-2019) in Tabriz Imam Reza Hospital with participation of 90 women. The subjects were randomly divided into three groups of manual lymph drainage massage group, manual lymph drainage massage group + low pressure bandage and control group. Then, the intervention was trained to the patient and the intervention started the day after the surgery (doing daily at home). Demographic information, upper extremity physical tests and edema checklist were recorded before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 19) and One-way ANOVA and X2tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

None of the variables were statistically significant before the intervention (p>0.05), whereas evaluation of the variables after the end of the intervention indicated that in variables such as edema (p=0.009), pain severity (p=0.003), Hawkins Kennedy (p=0.005), Jergason (p=0.003), Crossover (p=0.001), Falun (p=0.019), protonator (p=0.002) and isometric resistance (p=0.006), a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. Also, the use of bandages after massage therapy has the best effect.

Rehabilitation measures such as massage therapy and bandaging immediately after massage therapy reduced the amount of lymph nodes edema, pain, and function of the musculoskeletal system of the hand after mastectomy.