Effect of Massage on Shoulder Pain Intensity and Quality of Recovery Post-Gynecological Laparoscopy

Background: Shoulder pain is a common complaint after a gynecological laparoscopy. Pharmacological or non pharmacological techniques may be used to manage it. Using massage is one of the non-pharmacological strategies. Aim: Evaluate the effect of massage on shoulder pain intensity and the quality of recovery post-gynecological laparoscopy. Method: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used. The present study included a simple random sample of 150 women who performed gynecological laparoscopy at the Fertility Care Center (FCC) at Mansoura University Hospitals, Mansoura City, Egypt. Three tools were utilized to gather data: a structured interviewing questionnaire, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)/Pain, and the Postoperative Quality of Recovery Questionnaire. Results: Post-intervention, shoulder pain among the massage group was significantly less than that of the control group at different times of assessment at 6, 12, and 24 hours (p < 0.001). Additionally, the postoperative quality of recovery score was significantly higher among the massage group, with a highly statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Shoulder massage is highly effective in decreasing shoulder pain and enhancing the quality of recovery post-gynecological laparoscopy. Recommendation: Massage should be integrated into the hospital routine as a non pharmacological modality for improving shoulder pain and the quality of recovery post-gynecological laparoscopy.