Effect of foot reflexology on chest pain and anxiety in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A double blind randomized clinical trial
Strong EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology for anxiety, explained
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of foot reflexology on chest pain and anxiety in patients with AMI. This study was a double blind randomized clinical trial. Stratified random sampling was carried out on 90 patients with AMI in the three groups of treatment, placebo and control. Foot reflexology was done for three consecutive days, each time for 20 min. Chest pain and anxiety were evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale before, immediately and 20 min later. 20 min after the intervention, severity of chest pain in treatment group was significantly lower than control group (p < 0.001) and placebo group (p = 0.002). Severity of anxiety between groups and at different times was not significant. Foot reflexology was effective in attenuating chest pain, had the most effect in 20 min after intervention, and can be used to relieve chest pain in patients with AMI.
Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about anxiety
- ✓Foot reflexology significantly reduced chest pain severity in acute myocardial infarction patients compared to both control and placebo groups 20 minutes after intervention.
- ✓The maximum pain-relieving effect of foot reflexology occurred 20 minutes post-intervention rather than immediately after treatment.
- ✓Foot reflexology had no significant effect on anxiety levels in acute myocardial infarction patients across the treatment, placebo, and control groups.
What This Means for You
If you've had a heart attack, foot reflexology may help reduce chest pain based on this moderate-quality evidence, though you should use it alongside conventional medical treatment, not instead of it.
What This Means for Practitioners
This RCT provides evidence that foot reflexology can help attenuate chest pain in acute myocardial infarction patients, with effects measurable within 20 minutes of treatment, supporting its use as an adjunctive therapy in cardiac care settings.
Study Design: how this randomised trial was run
Reflexology for anxiety: common questions
Does reflexology help with anxiety?
If you've had a heart attack, foot reflexology may help reduce chest pain based on this moderate-quality evidence, though you should use it alongside conventional medical treatment, not instead of it.
What did this study find?
Foot reflexology significantly reduced chest pain severity in acute myocardial infarction patients compared to both control and placebo groups 20 minutes after intervention. The maximum pain-relieving effect of foot reflexology occurred 20 minutes post-intervention rather than immediately after treatment. Foot reflexology had no significant effect on anxiety levels in acute myocardial infarction patients across the treatment, placebo, and control groups.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 90 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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