Postoperative Pain Relief through Relaxation in Elderly Patients with Fractured Hips

This study examined the effect of the Jacobson relaxation technique involving the tongue and jaw, coordinated rhythmic breathing, and a lack of attention to thoughts, words, and speech on the postoperative comfort level in elderly patients with fractured hips. An experimental design was used to test three hypotheses that subjects who used the technique would express a lower level of pain and distress immediately after turning from their back to the unoperated hip within the first 24 hours following surgery. It was also hypothesized that subjects who used the technique would have a lower mean intake of analgesics during the initial 24-hour postoperative period. The sample consisted of 20 older adults, aged 56 to 89, admitted to two hospitals in northern Ohio for the surgical repair of a fractured hip. Ten subjects each were randomly assigned to a control and an experimental group. Experimental group subjects were taught the Jacobson relaxation technique according to a three-step instructional protocol that considered the learning needs of older adults. Control group subjects were not taught the technique. Data were collected using Johnson's Sensation of Pain and Distress scales. The intake of analgesics was collected from the medical record. Results of the study supported the use of the Jacobson relaxation technique in this population as a means of increasing the postoperative level of comfort. Subjects who used the technique when they were turned during the first 24 hours following surgery stated a statistically significant lower level of pain (p <.05) and distress (p <.001). Subjects also had a statistically significant lower intake of analgesics (p <.05).