Effect of concurrent respiratory workout and mobility exercises on pain and anxiety in post-operative lung cancer surgery patients with chest tube

  Background:  Chest tube installation leads to several complications including pain and anxiety which in this case can become serious and affect the quality of life. Since non-pharmacological interventions can be used instead of drugs. Methods: This study is designed as a non-randomized clinical trial with control group. A total number of 81 were divided into 41 as intervention group and 40 as control group with convenient sampling method. Pain and anxiety lead from having chest tube were measured once daily in both control and intervention groups. Interventions including chest physiotherapy, pursed-lip breathing and upper limb exercises were performed after sampling in control group was finished. Sampling was done within total time of almost 7 months. Data gathering tools were visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and anxiety. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.16. Results: There was a significant difference between mean scores of pain (P<0.05) and anxiety (P<0.05) among intervention and control group after performing interventions which were lower in the intervention group. Conclusion: Since performing concurrent respiratory workout and mobility exercises had a positive effect on reducing pain and anxiety in post-operative lung cancer surgery patients with chest tube, results can be used to reduce these complications in those patients.