The physiological and biochemical outcomes associated with a reflexology treatment: a systematic review
Moderate EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology for high blood pressure, explained
Background. Reflexology is one of the top forms of complementary and alternative medicine in the UK and is used for healthcare by a diverse range of people. However, it is offered by few healthcare providers as little scientific evidence is available explaining how it works or any health benefits it may confer. The aim of this review was to assess the current evidence available from reflexology randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that have investigated changes in physiological or biochemical outcomes. Methods. Guidelines from the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions were followed: the following databases were searched from inception to December 2013: AMED, CAM Quest, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Medline Ovid, Proquest, and Pubmed. Risk of bias was assessed independently by two members of the review team and overall strength of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation guidelines. Results. Seventeen eligible RCTs met all inclusion criteria. A total of 34 objective outcome measures were analysed. Although twelve studies showed significant changes within the reflexology group, only three studies investigating blood pressure, cardiac index, and salivary amylase resulted in significant between group changes in favour of reflexology. The overall quality of the studies was low.
Key Findings
- ✓This systematic review assessed randomized controlled trials investigating physiological and biochemical outcomes of reflexology treatment to determine scientific evidence for how it works and what health benefits it provides.
- ✓The review followed Cochrane Handbook guidelines and searched eight major databases from inception through December 2013 to comprehensively evaluate the quality and strength of evidence from reflexology RCTs.
- ✓Despite reflexology being one of the top complementary and alternative medicine practices used in the UK, few healthcare providers offer it due to limited scientific evidence explaining its mechanisms of action or documented health benefits.
What This Means for You
Current evidence for reflexology's physical health benefits is limited—only a few studies show it works better than placebo, so manage expectations if considering it for specific health outcomes.
What This Means for Practitioners
To strengthen the evidence base for reflexology, conduct larger, well-designed studies with proper controls and standardized outcome measures, as most existing research has methodological limitations.
Reflexology for high blood pressure: common questions
Does reflexology help with high blood pressure?
Current evidence for reflexology's physical health benefits is limited—only a few studies show it works better than placebo, so manage expectations if considering it for specific health outcomes.
What did this study find?
This systematic review assessed randomized controlled trials investigating physiological and biochemical outcomes of reflexology treatment to determine scientific evidence for how it works and what health benefits it provides. The review followed Cochrane Handbook guidelines and searched eight major databases from inception through December 2013 to comprehensively evaluate the quality and strength of evidence from reflexology RCTs. Despite reflexology being one of the top complementary and alternative medicine practices used in the UK, few healthcare providers offer it due to limited scientific evidence explaining its mechanisms of action or documented health benefits.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence moderate. It was published in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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