Reflexology treatment for patients with lower limb amputations and phantom limb pain--an exploratory pilot study
Preliminary EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
The objectives of the study were to evaluate the possibility of reflexology being used as a non-invasive form of phantom limb pain relief and of empowering patients to maintain any positive results with self-treatment. Prosthetic Services Centre, Herbert Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. A same-subject, experimental pilot study, recording the intensity of phantom limb pain in weekly pain diaries over a 30-week period, which was divided into five phases: phase 1 gave a baseline of pain, whilst phase 3 was a resting phase. Phases 2, 4 and 5 provided the reflexology interventions. Ten participants with unilateral lower limb amputations and phantom limb pain were selected from the database at the Prosthetic Centre. REFLEXOLOGY INTERVENTIONS: In phase 2, six weekly reflexology treatments were given, which consisted of: full foot reflexology to the remaining foot and full hand reflexology to the hand of the amputated side of the body. In phase 4, six weekly hand reflexology teaching sessions were carried out; patients copied on their own hands what the therapist did on hers. A hand reflexology booklet gave the sequence of the treatment and was used as a reference. In phase 5, the patients self-treated for 6 weeks at home, using the reference material. Over the 30-week period, there was an improvement in the perception of the presence and the intensity of the phantom limb pain, with a corresponding improvement in the duration of the pain and the affect on the person's lifestyle. The improvement was maintained when the clients self-treated. FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRE: A follow-up questionnaire was carried out in 2007--12 months after the project had ended--to elicit whether the patients had suffered from phantom pain over the previous 12 months, whether they still had relief from phantom limb pain and whether they still self-treated. The project indicated that reflexology treatment, teaching and self-treatment were effective in eradicating or reducing the int
Key Findings: what this pilot study found
- ✓Reflexology treatments applied to the remaining foot and hand on the amputated side showed potential for reducing phantom limb pain intensity in amputees over a 30-week study period.
- ✓The study design included a resting phase to establish baseline pain measurements and assess whether reflexology effects persisted after treatment cessation.
- ✓Reflexology was evaluated as a non-invasive intervention that could potentially empower patients to self-manage phantom limb pain through continued self-treatment.
What This Means for You
While this small pilot study suggests reflexology may help reduce phantom limb pain, the evidence is still preliminary and more rigorous research is needed before drawing firm conclusions about its effectiveness.
What This Means for Practitioners
This pilot demonstrates a potential role for reflexology in phantom limb pain management and supports the feasibility of teaching self-treatment techniques to empower patients, though larger controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy.
Study Design: how this pilot study was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
While this small pilot study suggests reflexology may help reduce phantom limb pain, the evidence is still preliminary and more rigorous research is needed before drawing firm conclusions about its effectiveness.
What did this study find?
Reflexology treatments applied to the remaining foot and hand on the amputated side showed potential for reducing phantom limb pain intensity in amputees over a 30-week study period. The study design included a resting phase to establish baseline pain measurements and assess whether reflexology effects persisted after treatment cessation. Reflexology was evaluated as a non-invasive intervention that could potentially empower patients to self-manage phantom limb pain through continued self-treatment.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a pilot study and we rate its evidence preliminary. It covers 10 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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