Background and Objective:Organ fracture is a prevalent effect of traumas experienced by human. Patients with fracture need orthopedic cares including orthopedic surgeries. The process of surgery increases the incidence of mental and psychological reactions, such as anxiety. Therefore, adopting progressive muscle relaxation technique in such patients is of high importance.
Materials and Methods: This clinical trial conducted on 80 patients with lower limb fracture who were candidate for orthopedic surgery. They were selected using conventional sampling method and were randomly grouped in two case and control groups, each with 40 members. Relaxation technique was applied on case group prior to surgery and on daily basis, three times per day and 10 to 20 rounds in each time. STAI questionnaire was used to measure patients’ anxiety before and during discharging from hospital. Data was analyzed using independent t, square t, chi-square and using SPSS 16.
Results: Prior to the intervention, the mean score of trait anxiety in case and control group was 47.56±6.16 and 48.1±2.81, respectively (p=0.009) while after intervention it was 48.54±6.40 and 48.66±3.26, respectively (p=0.001).
Conclusion: According to results, adopting progressive muscle relaxation technique can mitigate the stress of candidate patients for orthopedic surgery. This study had limitations and conducting further studies on this field is recommended.