Abstract
Background: Constipation is one of the most prevalent problems during old age. Abdominal massage
is a complementary method in controlling constipation. This study is conducted with the aim of
determining the effect of abdominal massage with extra-virgin olive oil on constipation among the
elderly.
Methods: In this single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 54 old individuals in Shiraz nursing
homes during November 2018-March 2019 were selected randomly and then allocated to three groups
of 18, based on block randomization. The first group underwent abdominal massage with olive oil for
five consecutive days (each day one time for 15 minutes). The second group underwent abdominal
massage with water similar to the first group. No specific intervention was applied to the control
group. All three groups received their medical treatment. The constipation scores were examined
using constipation assessment scale (CAS) before the intervention and on the sixth day. Data analysis
was done through SPSS 22 using Chi-square, paired t-test, and ANOVA. P˂0.05 was considered as the
level of statistical significance.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups before the
intervention. The results demonstrated that the mean score of constipation further decreased in the
olive oil group (5.62±1.89 to 2.06±0.99) (P≤0.001) than the massage with water (5.05±1.25 to 3.11±0.99)
(P=0.02), and the control group (4.44±1.38 to 5.22±1.35) (P=0.006).
Conclusion: Due to the greater effectiveness of abdominal massage with extra-virgin olive oil, the use
of this method is recommended in treatment of constipation among the elderly.
Trial Registration Number: IRCT20180923041101N1
Keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine, Constipation, Massage, Olive oil, The elderly
Please cite this article as: Faghihi A, Najafi SS, Hashempur MH, Najafi Kalyani M. The Effect of Abdominal
Massage with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil on Constipation among Elderly Individuals: A Randomized Controlled
Clinical Trial. IJCBNM. 2021;9(4):268-277. doi: 10.30476/ijcbnm.2021.88206.1495.

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