The Effectiveness of Foot Massage with Kencur Oil and Soak Warm Water Mixed with Kencur Rhizomes Against Foot Oedema in Third Trimester Pregnant Women at the Independent Practice of Midwives of Simalungun Regency

Abstract

Leg oedema is found in 80% of pregnant women in the third trimester, occurs due to uterine pressure that blocks venous backflow and gravitational pull, causing feelings of heaviness and cramps. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the comparison of foot massage with kencur oil and warm water soak of a mixture of kencur rhizomes against foot oedema in third trimester pregnant women in the independent practice of midwives of Simalungun Regency. Types of quasi-experimental research (pretest and posttest group). Consecutive sampling technique, the number of samples of 48 people, divided into two groups of 24 respondents each. Pretest: initial foot oedema examination, foot massage intervention with kencur oil and warm water soak with kencur rhizomes for 5 days, post test: foot oedema examination after intervention. Data analysis using the Mann Whitney and Willcoxon test. There was a difference in mean leg edema before and after the intervention between the two groups, namely in MPJ circumference (p <0.05). There was no difference in mean leg edema and length of return time before and after the intervention of the two groups with a p-value of  >0.05 value. There were differences in mean leg edema and length of return time before and after intervention in each group with p-value of >0.05 values. As conclusion, foot massage with kencur oil is effective to reduce oedema and discomfort during pregnancy.

Keywords: kencur oil; kencur rhizome; foot oedema; pregnancy