Comparing the Effects of Warm Footbath and Foot Reflexology on the Fatigue of Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Q: Does reflexology help with cancer pain?

If you're experiencing fatigue from radiotherapy, this study suggests foot reflexology may be more effective than a warm footbath, though both approaches showed benefits.

Q: What did this study find?

Both warm footbath and foot reflexology interventions were applied for 20 minutes daily over 2 weeks to radiotherapy patients starting from the seventh day of treatment. Fatigue levels were measured using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory at baseline and at multiple timepoints (days 7, 14, and 28) to compare the effectiveness of the two interventions. The study involved 62 radiotherapy patients randomly assigned to either a warm footbath group or a foot reflexology group to determine which method more effectively reduces treatment-related fatigue.

Q: How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 62 participants. It was published in Integrative cancer therapies, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.

Authors: Mazloum Seyed Reza, Rajabzadeh Mahla, Mohajer Samira, Bahrami-Taghanaki Hamidreza, Namazinia MohammadJournal: Integrative cancer therapiesPublished: January 1, 2023DOI: 10.1177/15347354231172940

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.7h-index: 65

Strong EvidenceRandomized Controlled Trialn=62 participants

Cancer Pain Management

In Plain Language: reflexology for cancer pain, explained

Fatigue is a common side effect of radiotherapy. While warm footbath and foot reflexology can both reduce fatigue, it is still unclear which method is more effective in reducing fatigue. This study aimed to compare the effects of warm footbath and foot reflexology on the fatigue of patients undergoing radiotherapy. A randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 62 patients undergoing radiotherapy. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the 2 groups. Patients in the footbath group immersed their feet in 41°C water for 20 minutes every night for 2 weeks starting from the seventh day of radiotherapy. Patients in the reflexology group received 20 minutes of foot reflexology every night for 2 weeks starting from the seventh day of radiotherapy. Fatigue was measured by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) once on the seventh day of radiotherapy and 3 more times on days 7, 14, and 28 after the start of the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS20 and descriptive/inferential statistics. The total MFI score of both groups declined significantly over time (P < .001). The reflexology group indicated a significant reduction from 90.9 ± 3.2 in the pre-test to 56.0 ± 3.7 on the 28th day in, while the footbath group indicated it from 90 ± 2.6 in the pre-test to 71.4 ± 2.8 on the 28th day. Our results showed that foot reflexology and warm footbath reduced the fatigue of patients undergoing radiotherapy. However, foot reflexology was more effective in reducing the fatigue of patients undergoing radiotherapy than warm footbath. It is recommended that simple and low cost non-pharmacological interventions such as foot reflexology to decrease of side effect of radiotherapy among cancer patients should be widely performed.Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20190625044009N1).

Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about cancer pain

✓Both warm footbath and foot reflexology interventions were applied for 20 minutes daily over 2 weeks to radiotherapy patients starting from the seventh day of treatment.
✓Fatigue levels were measured using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory at baseline and at multiple timepoints (days 7, 14, and 28) to compare the effectiveness of the two interventions.
✓The study involved 62 radiotherapy patients randomly assigned to either a warm footbath group or a foot reflexology group to determine which method more effectively reduces treatment-related fatigue.

What This Means for You

If you're experiencing fatigue from radiotherapy, this study suggests foot reflexology may be more effective than a warm footbath, though both approaches showed benefits.

What This Means for Practitioners

This RCT provides strong evidence that foot reflexology outperforms warm footbaths for reducing radiotherapy-related fatigue, supporting reflexology as an evidence-based complementary intervention in cancer care.

Study Design: how this randomised trial was run

Sample Size

62 participants

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Reflexology for cancer pain: common questions

Does reflexology help with cancer pain?

If you're experiencing fatigue from radiotherapy, this study suggests foot reflexology may be more effective than a warm footbath, though both approaches showed benefits.

What did this study find?

Both warm footbath and foot reflexology interventions were applied for 20 minutes daily over 2 weeks to radiotherapy patients starting from the seventh day of treatment. Fatigue levels were measured using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory at baseline and at multiple timepoints (days 7, 14, and 28) to compare the effectiveness of the two interventions. The study involved 62 radiotherapy patients randomly assigned to either a warm footbath group or a foot reflexology group to determine which method more effectively reduces treatment-related fatigue.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 62 participants. It was published in Integrative cancer therapies, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.