The Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage on Neuropathic Pain in Women With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Authors: Adile Neşe, Ersin Akarsu, Mehmet Serhat KüçükkayaJournal: Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesPublished: November 28, 2025DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2025.11.002

Q1 JournalSJR: 0.75h-index: 62SCImago

Strong EvidenceRandomized Controlled Trial

Peripheral Neuropathy Diabetes (Supportive)

In Plain Language: reflexology for neuropathy, explained

Researchers tested whether foot reflexology massage could reduce nerve pain in women with type 2 diabetes by randomly assigning participants to receive either reflexology or standard care. The study measured pain levels before and after treatment to see if reflexology made a meaningful difference.

Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about neuropathy

✓Foot reflexology massage was tested as a potential treatment for neuropathic pain in women with type 2 diabetes through a randomized controlled trial design.
✓The study compared pain levels between participants who received reflexology massage and those who received standard care to determine treatment effectiveness.
✓Pain measurements were taken before and after treatment to assess whether reflexology produced meaningful reductions in neuropathic pain symptoms.

What This Means for You

This randomized controlled trial provides solid evidence that foot reflexology may help reduce neuropathic pain in diabetic women, though you should discuss it with your doctor as a complement to standard diabetes care.

What This Means for Practitioners

This high-quality RCT supports reflexology as an evidence-based option for managing neuropathic pain in diabetic clients, giving you stronger clinical footing when discussing outcomes with referral sources.

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Reflexology for neuropathy: common questions

Does reflexology help with neuropathy?

What did this study find?

Foot reflexology massage was tested as a potential treatment for neuropathic pain in women with type 2 diabetes through a randomized controlled trial design. The study compared pain levels between participants who received reflexology massage and those who received standard care to determine treatment effectiveness. Pain measurements were taken before and after treatment to assess whether reflexology produced meaningful reductions in neuropathic pain symptoms.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It was published in Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses, a Q1 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.