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Fasciatherapy and Reflexology compared to Hypnosis and Music Therapy in Daily Stress Management

Authors: Payrau Bernard, Quere Nadine, Breton Elisabeth, Payrau ChristineJournal: International journal of therapeutic massage & bodyworkPublished: September 1, 2017
Q3 JournalSJR: 0.25h-index: 18
Moderate EvidenceObservationaln=308 participants

In Plain Language: reflexology for stress, explained

Patients suffering from stress symptoms due to every-day life who are looking for a non-pharmacological response to their relief expectation are many. Furthermore, early reckoning of the day-to-day stress which may lead to clinical diagnosis is the best way of preventing the stress-related diseases. Among the many alternative medicinal options, there is little evidence that fasciatherapy (Fs) and reflexology (Rf) are effective in this field. assess incidence of fasciatherapy Danis Bois Method (DBM) and of reflexology on patients' stress level in everyday-life, and provide a more informed choice among the numerous mind and body techniques by comparing them with hypnosis (Hp) and music therapy (Mt). Specialized Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) centres for outpatients. 308 individuals (average age = 50.53 SD 14.37, 93 males, 215 females) going to the centres for health care, but free from serious diseases and not heavily medicated respecting the inclusion criteria and providing valid forms. Four armed, non-randomized observational pragmatic trial with pretest-posttest repeated measures, on separate samples of natural groups. According to the centre participants where they used to be treated, they were exposed to a single semi-standardized session of a technique of their choice: Fs, Rf, Hp, Mt. Volunteers had a controlled non-intervention resting (Rt) session. Mean STAI-Y assessing anxiety as reflecting the stress level: MANCOVA and ANCOVA performed with Tukey's HSD. MANCOVA indicates a significant reduction of anxiety (p < .01) in each condition, resting included. ANCOVA performance adjusting on stress level in T0 (41.73) and on the mean sumscore of the trait (44.89), Fs (-13.92), Rf (-15.92), and Hp (-15.88) were equally effective on the stress level decrease. Mt (-10.0) and Rt (-6.38) showed the same level of effectiveness. The results suggest fasciatherapy DBM, hypnosis, and reflexology could be used as non-pharmacological and safe interventions

Key Findings: what this observational study found about stress

  • ✓The study compared the effectiveness of fasciatherapy (Danis Bois Method), reflexology, hypnosis, and music therapy as non-pharmacological interventions for managing daily stress symptoms.
  • ✓The research involved 308 participants with an average age of 50.53 years (215 female, 93 male) recruited from specialized Complementary and Alternative Medicine outpatient centers.
  • ✓Early identification and management of everyday stress through these alternative therapies may help prevent the development of stress-related diseases.

What This Means for You

Reflexology appears to help reduce stress from daily life, though this evidence comes from a non-randomized study; it works similarly to other mind-body approaches like hypnosis and music therapy.

What This Means for Practitioners

This study provides evidence that reflexology can effectively reduce stress levels in patients seeking non-pharmaceutical stress management, supporting it as a viable option comparable to other complementary therapies.

Study Design: how this observational study was run

Sample Size
308 participants
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Reflexology for stress: common questions

Does reflexology help with stress?

Reflexology appears to help reduce stress from daily life, though this evidence comes from a non-randomized study; it works similarly to other mind-body approaches like hypnosis and music therapy.

What did this study find?

The study compared the effectiveness of fasciatherapy (Danis Bois Method), reflexology, hypnosis, and music therapy as non-pharmacological interventions for managing daily stress symptoms. The research involved 308 participants with an average age of 50.53 years (215 female, 93 male) recruited from specialized Complementary and Alternative Medicine outpatient centers. Early identification and management of everyday stress through these alternative therapies may help prevent the development of stress-related diseases.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a observational study and we rate its evidence moderate. It covers 308 participants. It was published in International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork, a Q3 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.

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