Thesis Type: Doctorate
Institution Of The Thesis: Gazi University, Turkey
Approval Date: 2018
Thesis Language: Turkish
Student: Durdane Yılmaz Güven
Supervisor: HÜLYA BULUT
Abstract:The study was conducted as a randomized controlled study to determine the effect of foot reflexology applied on the postoperative 0th, 1st and 2nd days in patients with total knee arthroplasty surgery. A total of 100 patients were included in the study, 50 of which were in the experimental group and 50 of which were in the control group. For the collection of the data, Patient Identification Card, VAS Pain Form, BECK Anxiety Scale, Patient Mobility Scale, Observer Mobility Scale, Patient Mobility Question Form were used. Foot reflexology was performed three times for the patients in the experimental group once every 24 hours on day 0, day 1, and day 2 and no attempt except the routine application was made for the patients in the control group. The data were evaluated through standard deviation, median, percentage and frequency values, Box-M Variance Homogeneity Test, Student s t test, Mann Whitney-U test, Kruskal Wallis, Chi Square, Spearman Correlation Coefficient. It was determined that the average pain of the patients before and after the application on the postoperative 0th, 1stand 2nd days (respectively 8,24±1,70-4,86±2,22; 5,32±1,89 -2,40±2,11; 4,32±1,37-1,26±1,22) decreased, and this difference was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, the average pain of the patients in the control group was respectively found to be 8,20±1,32; 5,64±1,80; 5,62±1,78 and it was determined that the average pain difference between the 0th and 1st was statistically significant (p <0,05), and the difference between pain average on the 2nd day was found not to be statistically significant(p> 0,05). According to the findings obtained in the study, after the reflexology intervention the mean anxiety scores of the patients in the experimental group on the 0th day, 1st day, 2nd day were significantly lower than the control group (p <0,05). In our study, it was found that mobility and mobilization numbers of patients increased significantly through the application of foot reflexology in patients with knee arthroplasty (p <0,05). In the direction of the findings obtained; it is recommended to extend the application of foot reflexology in patients with knee arthroplasty.