Reflexology as an integrative and complementary health practice for adults and older adults: A scoping review
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
Reflexology is a technique involving the application of pressure and massage to reflex points on the feet or hands. These areas correspond to specific bodily organs and systems, thereby promoting homeostasis. The objective of this study was to map the scientific literature regarding the use of reflexology as an Integrative and Complementary Health Practice (ICHP) for adults and the elderly within healthcare services. This scoping review was conducted in September 2025, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Eight data sources were searched with no restrictions on time or language. The final sample comprised 19 articles. Most studies were conducted in Iran (52.6%) and Turkey (15.7%), with a predominance of foot reflexology (80%) over hand reflexology (20%). Interventions were primarily applied to hospitalized, post-surgical, and oncological patients, demonstrating significant reductions in pain and anxiety in 70% of the studies, alongside improvements in depressive symptoms. While reflexology has shown significant results in promoting well-being and improving vital signs, the lack of standardized protocols compromises comparability across studies. This underscores the need for standardized interventions to ensure greater methodological rigor.
Key Findings: what this systematic review found
- ✓Reflexology is predominantly studied as foot reflexology (80% of studies) rather than hand reflexology (20%), with applications across various patient populations.
- ✓The majority of reflexology research originates from Iran (52.6%) and Turkey (15.7%), suggesting geographic concentration of scientific investigation in these regions.
- ✓Reflexology interventions in the reviewed literature are primarily applied to hospitalized, post-surgical, and oncological patients as the main clinical populations studied.
What This Means for You
Reflexology shows promise for reducing pain and anxiety based on current research, but more standardized studies are needed before we can be confident it works reliably.
What This Means for Practitioners
Develop and follow standardized treatment protocols to make your practice more comparable to research evidence and improve patient outcomes.
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
Reflexology shows promise for reducing pain and anxiety based on current research, but more standardized studies are needed before we can be confident it works reliably.
What did this study find?
Reflexology is predominantly studied as foot reflexology (80% of studies) rather than hand reflexology (20%), with applications across various patient populations. The majority of reflexology research originates from Iran (52.6%) and Turkey (15.7%), suggesting geographic concentration of scientific investigation in these regions. Reflexology interventions in the reviewed literature are primarily applied to hospitalized, post-surgical, and oncological patients as the main clinical populations studied.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence limited. It was published in Complementary therapies in medicine, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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