The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Amnesia in Patients Undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Strong EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
Introduction: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the oldest procedure among the early biological treatments introduced in psychiatry. However, the most debated and treatment-limiting adverse effect of ECT is amnesia. Therefore, due to the restriction of the use of drugs to manage amnesia in patients undergoing ECT, the present study investigated the effect of reflexology on amnesia. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 68 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received foot reflexology with olive oil 20 minutes a day for 3 days, while the control group was given a gentle foot rub with olive oil 20 minutes a day for 3 days. The amnesia rate of all patients was measured by the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) 30 minutes after the end of ECT. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 11.5 and t-test, chi-squared test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The results showed that reflexology significantly increased recalling scores in the intervention group compared to the control group. Foot reflexology seems to be effective in managing amnesia in patients after ECT. Conclusion: Foot reflexology, as a relatively simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive technique with few side effects, can be used to manage amnesia in patients after ECT.
Key Findings: what this randomised trial found
- ✓Foot reflexology with olive oil administered for 20 minutes a day over 3 days was tested as an intervention to reduce amnesia in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy.
- ✓Amnesia rates were measured using the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) administered 30 minutes after ECT completion in both intervention and control groups.
- ✓The study compared foot reflexology to a control intervention of gentle foot massage with olive oil to isolate the specific effects of reflexology on ECT-related amnesia.
What This Means for You
If you're undergoing ECT, reflexology may help improve your memory recovery afterward, though more research is needed to confirm how well this approach works.
What This Means for Practitioners
This RCT provides evidence that foot reflexology can be offered to ECT patients as a non-invasive complementary approach to support memory function during recovery.
Study Design: how this randomised trial was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
If you're undergoing ECT, reflexology may help improve your memory recovery afterward, though more research is needed to confirm how well this approach works.
What did this study find?
Foot reflexology with olive oil administered for 20 minutes a day over 3 days was tested as an intervention to reduce amnesia in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy. Amnesia rates were measured using the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) administered 30 minutes after ECT completion in both intervention and control groups. The study compared foot reflexology to a control intervention of gentle foot massage with olive oil to isolate the specific effects of reflexology on ECT-related amnesia.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 68 participants. It was published in Journal of caring sciences, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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