Affiliations: Srinivas College of Physiotherapy and Research Center,
Mangalore, India | Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences for Boys, Shaqra
University, Shaqra, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | Department of Physiotherapy, Raipur Institute of
Medical Sciences, Raipur, India | Department of Physiotherapy, Sikkim Manipal Institute
of Medical Sciences, Gangtok, India
Note: [] Corresponding author: Balasubramanian Sundaram, MPT, PhD, P.O.
Box 1383, Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation
Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences for Boys, Shaqra University,
Shaqra, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 11961. Tel.: +966 1 6225802; E-mail: sbala_2001@rediffmail.com
Abstract: PURPOSE: To determine the effect of facilitated tucking (FT) on pain
in preterm newborns during heel stick procedure done as a part of neonatal intensive care. METHODS: This randomized controlled cross-over pilot
study included 20 preterm newborns of both sexes between gestational ages (GA)
of 28 and 36 weeks based upon the eligibility criteria. Pain was measured using
Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) following both heel stick with FT and without FT. RESULTS: The newborns had a lower PIPP score at 30 seconds
(Mean, SD: 8.80, 3.82), 60 seconds (Mean, SD: 7.55, 3.28), 90 seconds (Mean,
SD: 7.25, 3.06) and 120 seconds (Mean, SD: 6.65, 3.05) when heel stick was done
with FT compared to the same procedure done without FT at 30 seconds (Mean, SD:
11.20, 3.44), 60 seconds (Mean, SD: 10.75, 3.24), 90 seconds (Mean, SD: 10.60,
3.22) and 120 seconds (Mean, SD: 10.50, 3.15). A (2 X 4) factorial ANOVA showed
a statistically significant difference between these two procedures in all the
time periods viz., 30 seconds (p=0.044), 60 seconds (p=0.004), 90
seconds (p=0.002) and 120 seconds (p< 0.0001) at 0.05 level in PIPP
score and favoring FT. CONCLUSION: FT is an effective non-pharmacological pain management in preterm
newborns during routine neonatal intensive care.
Keywords: Cross-over trial, newborn care, non-pharmacological pain management
