The Effects of Using the Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on the 6-minute Walk and Fatigue Levels among Patients with Heart Failure in Jordan

Abstract

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, progressive disease that presents a massive global clinical burden and contributes heavily to severe fatigue and reduced physical capacity. Objective: To examine the effects of using a progressive muscle relaxation technique on the 6-minute walk and fatigue levels among patients with heart failure in Jordan. Methods: A single-setting, one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was employed at a university-affiliated hospital in Amman. A convenience sample of 79 outpatient participants with New York Heart Association class II or III heart failure underwent baseline testing and received individual training in progressive muscle relaxation technique. Participants practiced the technique at home three times weekly (two sessions per day) for two weeks, guided by an audio link. Fatigue level was assessed using the Arabic version of the Brief Fatigue Inventory; physical capacity (exertion level) was assessed using the adult OMNI-Walk Scale; and functional distance was measured using the 6-minute walk test. Results: The mean score of the total sample baseline fatigue level was 6.85±11.56; the mean score for perceived exertion was 4.41±2.01. Following a two-week progressive muscle relaxation intervention, fatigue levels decreased significantly to 5.58±12.6 (p<0.001), and perceived exertion decreased to 1.53±1.39 (p<0.001). Moreover, the results showed that participants' walking distance increased by 27.8 meters (p<0.001). Conclusions: The progressive muscle relaxation technique is a highly feasible, safe, and effective non-pharmacological intervention to reduce fatigue, lower physical exertion, and enhance functional walking capacity in patients with heart failure.