[Changes of renal blood flow during organ-associated foot reflexology measured by color Doppler sonography]
Moderate EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
Using colour Doppler sonography blood flow changes of the right kidney during foot reflexology were determined in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised study. 32 healthy young adults (17 women, 15 men) were randomly assigned to the verum or placebo group. The verum group received foot reflexology at zones corresponding to the right kidney, the placebo group was treated on other foot zones. Before, during and after foot reflexology the blood flow of three vessels of the right kidney was measured using colour Doppler sonography. Systolic peak velocity and end diastolic peak velocity were measured in cm/s, and the resistive index, a parameter of the vascular resistance, was calculated. The resistive index in the verum group showed a highly significant decrease (p </= 0.001) during and an increase (p = 0.001) after foot reflexology. There was no difference between men and women and no difference between smokers and non-smokers. Verum and placebo group significantly differed concerning alterations of the resistive index both between the measuring points before versus during foot reflexology (p = 0.002) and those during versus after foot reflexology (p = 0.031). The significant decrease of the resistive index during foot reflexology in the verum group indicates a decrease of flow resistance in renal vessels and an increase of renal blood flow. These findings support the hypothesis that organ-associated foot reflexology is effective in changing renal blood flow during therapy.
Key Findings: what this randomised trial found
- ✓Foot reflexology applied to kidney-corresponding zones on the feet caused a highly significant decrease in renal vascular resistance (resistive index) during treatment (p ≤ 0.001).
- ✓The resistive index in the kidney vessels returned to baseline levels with a significant increase after foot reflexology ended (p = 0.001).
- ✓The reflexology-induced changes in renal blood flow occurred consistently across both men and women and were independent of smoking status.
What This Means for You
This small study provides moderate evidence that kidney-zone foot reflexology may temporarily increase blood flow to the kidneys, though the clinical significance of this change remains unclear.
What This Means for Practitioners
Your kidney-zone reflexology work may produce measurable physiological changes in renal blood flow, which you can reference when discussing the mechanism of reflexology with clients interested in urinary system support.
Study Design: how this randomised trial was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
This small study provides moderate evidence that kidney-zone foot reflexology may temporarily increase blood flow to the kidneys, though the clinical significance of this change remains unclear.
What did this study find?
Foot reflexology applied to kidney-corresponding zones on the feet caused a highly significant decrease in renal vascular resistance (resistive index) during treatment (p ≤ 0.001). The resistive index in the kidney vessels returned to baseline levels with a significant increase after foot reflexology ended (p = 0.001). The reflexology-induced changes in renal blood flow occurred consistently across both men and women and were independent of smoking status.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence moderate. It covers 32 participants. It was published in Forschende Komplementarmedizin. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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