Effect of Abdominal Massage on Gastrointestinal Functions in the Elderly: A Meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the effect of abdominal massage on gastrointestinal functions in the elderly. This literature search was conducted using the ClinicalKey, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases to cover studies up to June 2022. The abdominal massage group had a large effect on reducing constipation severity and abdomen circumference. The abdominal massage had no effect on stool classification. The results indicated that abdominal massage for older people appears to be effective in reducing the severity of constipation and decreasing the abdominal circumference. These results can determine that abdominal massage can be used to reduce the severity of constipation and abdominal circumference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]