A simple foot massage might ease pain and improve sleep after heart surgery

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Aged 18 years or older Scheduled to undergo elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery Voluntarily agreed to participate and provided informed consent Able to communicate verbally and understand the study procedures Hemodynamically stable following transfer from the intensive care unit to the cardiovascular surgery ward Reported a postoperative pain intensity of ≥4 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Had no condition preventing the safe application of foot massage, including foot skin infection, local infection, open wound or lesion, significant edema or hematoma, thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, coagulation disorder, severe varicose veins, osteomyelitis, peripheral neuropathy, recent fracture, dislocation, or major musculoskeletal injury involving the lower extremities Exclusion Criteria: Development of a postoperative complication that prevented continuation of the intervention or study assessments Withdrawal of consent during the study Inability to complete the planned intervention or follow-up assessments