Foot Reflexology: Recent Research Trends and Prospects

Authors: Cai Deng-Chuan, Chen Ching-Yun, Lo Ting-YunJournal: Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)Published: December 20, 2022DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11010009

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.55h-index: 52

Limited EvidenceSystematic Review

Cancer Pain Management Anxiety

In Plain Language: reflexology for cancer pain, explained

Foot reflexology is a non-invasive complementary therapy that is increasingly being accepted by modern people in recent years. To understand the research trends and prospects of foot reflexology in the past 31 years, this study used the Web of Science core collection as the data source and two visualization tools, COOC and VOSviewer, to analyze the literature related to the field of foot reflexology from 1991 to 2021. This study found that the number of articles published in the field of foot reflexology has been increasing year by year, and the top three journals with the most articles are Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Therapies in Medicine, and the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. The top three most prolific authors are Wyatt, Sikorskii, and Victorson, and the core institutions in the field of foot reflexology are Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and the University of Exeter. Foot reflexology has been shown to have a moderating effect on anxiety, fatigue, and cancer, and is a topic of ongoing and future research. This study uses this bibliometric analysis of foot reflexology literature to provide an overview of prior knowledge and a reference direction for modern preventive medicine.

Key Findings: what this systematic review found about cancer pain

✓The number of published articles on foot reflexology has increased year-over-year from 1991 to 2021, indicating growing research interest in this complementary therapy.
✓The leading journals publishing foot reflexology research are Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Therapies in Medicine, and the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
✓Major research institutions in foot reflexology include Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and the University of Exeter.

What This Means for You

While foot reflexology research is expanding and shows potential benefits for anxiety and fatigue, the current evidence is still limited—consider it as a complementary therapy alongside conventional medical care rather than a primary treatment.

What This Means for Practitioners

The growing body of published research and increasing institutional involvement in reflexology studies validates the field's legitimacy, but focus on building stronger clinical evidence through larger, well-designed trials to support your practice.

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Reflexology for cancer pain: common questions

Does reflexology help with cancer pain?

What did this study find?

The number of published articles on foot reflexology has increased year-over-year from 1991 to 2021, indicating growing research interest in this complementary therapy. The leading journals publishing foot reflexology research are Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Therapies in Medicine, and the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Major research institutions in foot reflexology include Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and the University of Exeter.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence limited. It was published in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.