A blinded investigation into the accuracy of reflexology charts
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
Reflexology is an increasingly popular complementary therapy in which parts of the body are deemed to be represented on the soles of the feet. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this representation can be used as a valid method of diagnosis. Three experienced reflexologists took part in this study. Eighteen adults with one or more of six specified conditions were identified from primary care records. Two reflexologists, who were blinded to the patients' conditions and monitored, then examined each patient's feet and rated the probability that each of the six conditions was present. There is little evidence that the distribution of ratings vary with the status of the condition. Receiver operating curves suggest that this diagnostic method is very poor at distinguishing between the presence and absence of conditions. Inter-rater reliability (kappa) scores were very low, providing no evidence of agreement between the examiners. Despite certain limitations to the data provided by this study, the results do not suggest that reflexology techniques are a valid method of diagnosis.
Key Findings: what this observational study found
- ✓Reflexology ratings did not vary significantly based on whether patients actually had the specified conditions, indicating the diagnostic method lacks validity.
- ✓Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that reflexology performed very poorly at distinguishing between the presence and absence of conditions.
- ✓Inter-rater reliability scores were very low between the two blinded reflexologists, showing no evidence of agreement in their diagnostic assessments.
What This Means for You
If you're considering reflexology for diagnosis, this small study found no evidence that foot examinations can reliably detect health conditions—you should rely on conventional medical testing instead.
What This Means for Practitioners
This research suggests reflexology diagnostic charts may not have scientific validity for identifying diseases, so reflexologists should be cautious about positioning the practice as a diagnostic tool.
Study Design: how this observational study was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
If you're considering reflexology for diagnosis, this small study found no evidence that foot examinations can reliably detect health conditions—you should rely on conventional medical testing instead.
What did this study find?
Reflexology ratings did not vary significantly based on whether patients actually had the specified conditions, indicating the diagnostic method lacks validity. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that reflexology performed very poorly at distinguishing between the presence and absence of conditions. Inter-rater reliability scores were very low between the two blinded reflexologists, showing no evidence of agreement in their diagnostic assessments.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a observational study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 18 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in medicine, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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