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Background and purpose: Pain and fatigue are among the complications after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Non- pharmacological methods are more favorable than pharmacological agents. This study assessed the effects of foot reflexology massage on pain and fatigue in patients after CABG. Materials and methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 80 patients hospitalized in Mazandaran Heart Center, 2011. The samples were allocated based on their accessibility. They were age and gender matched and then divided randomly into two groups of case and control. The case group received reflexology massage on left foot for 20 minutes from the second day after surgery for four consecutive days. In control group, the left foot of the patients was moisturized for one minute without applying any pressure. The intensity of pain and fatigue were recorded before and after the intervention using visual analogue scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Results showed significant differences in pain and fatigue levels after the intervention among both groups (P= 0.0001). Conclusion: According to this study, foot reflexology massage, is a useful nursing intervention to relieve fatigue and pain in CABG patients. Since this low-cost method is easy to apply we recommend it to ease the pain and fatigue in patients after CABG.

Keywords: Foot reflexology massage, pain, fatigue, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

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