The impacts of foot reflexology on anxiety among male candidates for coronary angiography: A three-group single-blind randomized clinical trial

Authors: Ramezanibadr Farhad, Amini Kourosh, Hossaingholipor Kayvan, Faghihzadeh SogratJournal: Complementary therapies in clinical practicePublished: August 1, 2018DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.07.005

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.65h-index: 72SCImago

Moderate EvidenceRandomized Controlled Trial

Anxiety

In Plain Language: reflexology for anxiety, explained

Researchers tested whether foot reflexology could reduce anxiety in men scheduled for heart imaging procedures. They compared reflexology treatment to a sham (fake) treatment and a control group, and found that reflexology appeared to help reduce anxiety levels before the procedure.

Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about anxiety

✓Foot reflexology significantly reduced anxiety levels in male patients scheduled for coronary angiography compared to both sham treatment and control groups.
✓The study used a three-group randomized controlled design with blinding, comparing real reflexology against sham reflexology and no treatment to establish efficacy.
✓Reflexology demonstrated measurable anxiety-reducing effects before a cardiac diagnostic procedure, suggesting potential clinical application for procedural anxiety management.

What This Means for You

If you're anxious about a medical procedure, reflexology may help calm your nerves, though the evidence is still emerging and it works best alongside standard care.

What This Means for Practitioners

This three-group RCT design supports reflexology's potential for pre-procedure anxiety reduction in male patients, providing stronger evidence than single-arm studies for your practice outcomes discussion.

Read Full Paper↗

Reflexology for anxiety: common questions

Does reflexology help with anxiety?

If you're anxious about a medical procedure, reflexology may help calm your nerves, though the evidence is still emerging and it works best alongside standard care.

What did this study find?

Foot reflexology significantly reduced anxiety levels in male patients scheduled for coronary angiography compared to both sham treatment and control groups. The study used a three-group randomized controlled design with blinding, comparing real reflexology against sham reflexology and no treatment to establish efficacy. Reflexology demonstrated measurable anxiety-reducing effects before a cardiac diagnostic procedure, suggesting potential clinical application for procedural anxiety management.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence moderate. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.