Reflexology Research & Science
Does reflexology work? The honest answer from 808 peer-reviewed studies: the evidence is mixed and mostly early-stage. 245 are randomized controlled trials and 221 are systematic reviews or meta-analyses. The strongest signals are for relaxation, anxiety, and pain, not for curing disease. Every study is below, graded by evidence strength and pulled from PubMed.
808 studies · page 24 of 68
Effectiveness of Non-pharmacological interventions on pain and fatigue management in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis study
Pain and fatigue are the primary symptoms that cancer survivors frequently report. The goal of this meta-analysis was to evaluate how effective non-pharmacological interventions are in managing pain and fatigue in cancer survivors. Approach: This research consisted solely of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that enlisted participants aged 18-80 years who had been diagnosed with any form of cancer. The risk of bias was evaluated through the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The process of meta-analyses involved calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) within a 95 % confidence interval (CI) using Review Manager software. Outcome: Five studies involving 283 participants in the treatment group demonstrated a noteworthy benefit of acupuncture and reflexology in pain relief (SMD -0.69, 95 % CI -1.29 to -0.10, Z = 2.28, p = 0.02, and I2 = 82 %). Nonetheless, five studies with 370 participants (221 in the intervention group) found a minor impact on pain control from engaging in physical activity (SMD -0.29, 95 % CI -0.74 to 0.16, Z = 1.27, p = 0.20, I2 = 76 %). Regarding fatigue management, four studies involving 368 participants (intervention group = 221) found a minor impact of physical activity on fatigue management (SMD - 0.06, 95 % CI - 0.46 to 0.33, Z = 0.30, p = 0.76, I2 = 72 %). In conclusion, data that was pooled and analyzed found that non-pharmacological interventions were found to have a positive therapeutic impact on pain management among cancer survivors. However, the same interventions showed little to no therapeutic effect on fatigue. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to conduct more high-quality studies.
strong evidenceThe effect of nonpharmacologic interventions for muscle cramps and restless-leg syndrome in hemodialysis patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of the nonpharmacologic interventions on muscle related symptoms including cramping and restless leg syndrome in hemodialysis patients. Articles published between 2002 and 2022 were searched in six databases. The standardized mean differences were determined by the upper and lower limits of 95% confidence intervals. Publication bias was assessed by conducting the Egger test and examined visually using a funnel plot. Fourteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. The types of interventions included exercise (n = 5), aromatherapy (n = 5), reflexology (n = 3), massage (n = 1), and acupressure (n = 1). The methodological quality assessment revealed 13 studies were strong quality, while only one study was moderate quality. The Egger test indicated no significant publication biases. Healthcare professionals can use non-pharmacological methods to manage muscle-related symptoms because of not only beneficial effects but also it is practical, well-tolerated, easy integrated into the treatment and care.
The effect of reflexology on blood pressure and heart rate in cardiovascular patients: a meta-analysis study
The aim of the study was to conduct a meta-analysis of studies on the effect of reflexology on blood pressure and heart rate in patients with cardiovascular disease. The study collected data from PubMed, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases. The study had randomized-controlled, non-randomized-controlled, and quasi-experimental designs. Patients aged >18 years with coronary artery disease, coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, open-heart surgery, or coronary bypass were included. All analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. This study included 1,041 patients aged 18-75 years from 12 studies. According to the random-effects model, reflexology significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (95%CI, Hedges' g=-0.41, Z=-2.27, p=0.02) and diastolic blood pressure (95%CI, Hedges' g=-0.38, Z=-2.69, p=0.01). However, reflexology did not affect the heart rate (95%CI, Hedges' g=0.16, Z=-1.54, p=0.12). The results suggest that reflexology has a positive effect on the systolic and diastolic blood pressures of cardiovascular patients, but no significant effect on the heart rate was observed.
The effect of prenatal yoga and reflexology in reducing labor duration and perceived pain; a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yoga and Reflexology is a non-pharmacological pain relief method, the effects of which remain unclear on obstetric interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of yoga and reflexology on the length of labor and its pain. In this review, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and Google scholar databases were searched from inception till April 22, 2024. The protocol registry number (ID: CRD 42022362769) assigned. English-language of studies in randomized controlled trials (RCTs were included in the review. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the quality of the trials. Using Rev Man 5.4 software, the results were presented in form of forest plots. Ten studies including 1,253 pregnant women were included for meta-analysis. Prenatal yoga and reflexology interventions has significant effect in reducing labor duration at fist stage (SMD: -0.43; 95% CI: -0.74, -0.13; I2 = 77%), second stage (SMD: -0.34; 95% CI: -0.53, -0.15; I2 = 21%) and third stage (SMD: -1.05; 95% CI: -1.34, -0.76; I2 = 0%, P = 0.0001). Moreover, the labor pain perceived in the active phase was found to be significantly reduced in the intervention group (SMD: -1.56; 95% CI: -2.78, -0.34; P = 0.0001). The review has demonstrated that yoga and reflexology is a non-invasive health exercises during prenatal period which is useful in reducing labor pain and its length at each stage of labor. Therefore, through applying this technique, a goal of midwifery, which is reducing labor pain and its length, can be achieved. It also may enable moms to fully enjoy their pregnancy and delivery.
Assessment of non-pharmacological nursing strategies for pain management in tumor patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Cancer is a multifactorial disease associated with intense pain and fatigue. Pain is the main discomfort experienced during cancer treatment, particularly as a major side effect of chemotherapy. This study has aimed to investigate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological nursing strategies, including reflexology, aromatherapy, acupressure, massage therapy and acupuncture, in the management of cancer-associated pain. Moreover, it provides evidence-based recommendations for integrating these interventions into standard pain management protocols. We gathered data from three major online databases; PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Embase. For the analysis, we exclusively targeted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in managing cancer-related pain. No language restrictions were applied, and pain was considered the primary outcome measure. Seventeen RCTs (n = 1,070) were included in this meta-analysis from 166 eligible studies. The pooled effect size demonstrated that all evaluated non-pharmacological nursing strategies, including aromatherapy, massage, reflexology, acupressure and acupuncture significantly reduced cancer-related pain compared to usual care (p < 0.001). Moreover, the reflexology and massage showed negligible heterogeneity among other interventions. This meta-analysis found the significant effectiveness of non-pharmacological nursing strategies, particularly reflexology and massage in reducing cancer-related pain. The findings support their integration into clinical practice, providing evidence-based recommendations for enhancing standard pain management protocols.
The Effect of Reflexology on Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Open Heart Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Open-heart surgery is effective but may involve significant postoperative complications and long recovery times that can be exacerbated by patient anxiety. Nonpharmacological approaches such as reflexology have gained attention in the field of medicine for their ability to alleviate anxiety without significant side effects. This systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to determine the effect of reflexology on anxiety in patients undergoing open-heart surgery. The PubMed, EBSCO (including MEDLINE and CINAHL), OVID, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were searched from May 15 to July 15, 2024. Randomized controlled trials that evaluated patients who had open-heart surgery were included in the analysis. Studies were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Checklists for Randomized Controlled Trials developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The meta-analysis was conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 2, and heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the χ 2 test and I2 statistic. The results were reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Eight studies encompassing 485 patients were included in the meta-analysis. All of the included studies used common measurement times for anxiety and compared intervention groups with either standard care or a placebo. In the meta-analysis performed using a random-effects model, reflexology was found to significantly reduce anxiety ( g =-1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI)=[-2.35, -0.63], with a statistically significant difference observed between the intervention and control groups ( z =-3.41, p =.001). However, the findings of the meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution. Reflexology may be effective in reducing anxiety in patients undergoing open-heart surgery. However, the significant heterogeneity identified among the included studies indicates variability among study conditions. Therefore, their outcomes should
Effects of reflexology on premenstrual syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a set of somatic and psychological symptoms that occur cyclically in the luteal phase of a menstrual cycle. There is no report of final result of reflexology on PMS. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of reflexology on PMS through a systematic review and meta-analysis study. The present study was a systematic review and meta-analysis that was conducted by searching in 8 electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID until December 28, 2018. In this regard, interventional studies, which examined the impact of reflexology on women with premenstrual syndrome, were included. These studies were published during 1993 to 2018. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the quality of studies. Meta-analysis was performed by the help of CMA 2 software. Nine out of 407 studies finally remained after screening, and quantitative and quantitative analyses were performed on them. The total number of research samples was 475. The mean treatment time with reflexology was 40.55 min per session that was performed in 6 to 10 sessions of treatment in 66.67% of studies. According to the meta-analysis and based on the random effects model, the reflexology could decrease the severity of PMS in the intervention group compared to the control group (SMD = - 2.717, 95% CI: - 3.722 to - 1.712). Meta-regression results indicated that the duration of intervention sessions (β = - 0.1124, 95% CI - 0.142 to - 0.084, p < 0.001) had a significant impact on the severity of PMS. Reflexology could also significantly affect somatic (SMD = - 1.142, 95% CI: - 1.481 to - 0.803) and psychological (SMD = - 1.380, 95% CI: - 2.082 to - 0.677) symptoms arising from PMS. In general,
The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Postpartum Comfort and Breastfeeding Outcomes in Postpartum Women: A Meta-Analysis Study
Introduction: In recent years, foot reflexology has been frequently used as a method to solve problems such as stress, pain, and depression. It has been observed that the studies focused on the effect of foot reflexology on the pregnancy and birth process. Research Aim: A meta-analysis of experimental trials evaluating the effectiveness of foot reflexology applied in the postpartum period on comfort and breastfeeding outcomes was conducted in the present study. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive electronic search was done through the PubMed, WoS, Wiley, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify experimental articles. There was no time restriction when searching the database. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies and the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials. The meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Cochran's Q test and Higgins' I2 were used to assess study heterogeneity. Results: Three studies, two randomized controlled trials and one quasi-experimental trial (n = 260), were included in the analysis. Foot reflexology applied to postpartum women was found to have positive effects on the LATCH (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.010, confidence interval [CI]: 0.752/1.269, Z = 7.664, p = 0.000), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)-breast tension (SMD: 2.212, CI: 1.902/2.522, Z = 13.981, p = 0.000), VAS-breast heat (SMD: 2.240, CI: 1.928/2.552, Z = 14.086, p = 0.000), VAS-breast pain (SMD: 2.302, CI: 1.836/2.768, Z = 9.686, p = 0.000), postpartum comfort (SMD: 3.578, CI: 3.131/4.025, Z = 15.689, p = 0.000), and breastfeeding satisfaction (SMD: 1.492, CI: 1.178/1.806, Z = 9.318, p = 0.000) scores. Conclusions: This meta-analysis determined that the foot reflexology intervention increased breastfeeding success, satisfaction, and postpartum comfort levels and statistically significantly reduced the signs of breastfeeding onse
The effect of foot reflexology on fatigue in hemodialysis patients: a meta-analysis study
this meta-analysis study analyzed the effect of foot reflexology on fatigue in hemodialysis patients by combining the results of independent studies on this subject. meta-analysis study. A literature search was conducted in seven databases. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using tools proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v3 was used for meta-analysis. eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. The result of the meta-analysis standardized mean difference = 1.580 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.075 - 2.085 p = 0.000). The result of the subgroup analysis performed based on the number of foot reflexology sessions standardized mean difference = 1,478 (95% Confidence Interval = 1,210 - 1,747, p = 0.000). it was concluded that foot reflexology can be used to reduce fatigue in hemodialysis patients. No information was provided in the investigated studies about the possible side effects and negative effects of foot reflexology. (1) This study found that foot reflexology reduced fatigue levels. (2) The 10-session foot reflexology was the most effective. (3) This study will guide nurses and health workers. (4) Reflexology is one of the non-pharmacological methods used to relieve fatigue. analizar el efecto de la reflexología podal sobre la fatiga en pacientes en hemodiálisis, combinando los resultados de estudios independientes sobre este tema.Método:estudio de metaanálisis. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en siete bases de datos. La calidad metodológica de los estudios incluidos se evaluó mediante las herramientas propuestas por el Joanna Briggs Institute. Para el metaanálisis se utilizó el programa Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v3. en el metaanálisis se incluyeron ocho estudios. El resultado de la diferencia de medias estandarizada del metaanálisis = 1,580 (Intervalo de Confianza de 95% = 1,075 - 2,085 p = 0,000). El resultado del an&#x
Myofascial Release for the Treatment of Tension-Type, Cervicogenic Headache or Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review: reflexology improved urinary symptoms in multiple sclerosis but was not effective for other outcomes in various conditions
This review examined multiple studies testing whether reflexology (massage of specific points on the feet) could help people with various health conditions. Reflexology showed promise for reducing urinary symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients, but did not improve other outcomes like pain, fatigue, or symptoms in other diseases.
Complementary medicine for depression
Surveys have demonstrated that complementary medicine use for depression is widespread, although patterns of use vary. A series of systematic reviews provide a summary of the current evidence for acupuncture, aromatherapy and massage, homeopathy, meditation, reflexology, herbal medicine, yoga, and several dietary supplements and relaxation techniques. The quantity and quality of individual studies vary widely, but research interest in complementary therapies is increasing, particularly in herbal and nutritional products. Major questions are still to be answered with respect to the effectiveness and appropriate role of these therapies in the management of depression. Areas for further research and some of the potential challenges to research design are discussed. Finally, several ongoing developments in information provision on this topic are highlighted.
Does reflexology work? Common questions
Is reflexology scientifically proven?
No. The most careful reviews conclude reflexology isn't a proven treatment for any specific medical condition. What the research more consistently supports is relaxation and short-term relief of anxiety and pain. We track 808 studies here, graded by evidence strength, so you can judge for yourself.
Does reflexology actually work?
It depends what you mean. For curing or treating a disease, the evidence doesn't support it. For helping people relax and feel less anxious or in less pain during a session, a number of small studies are positive, including 245 randomized controlled trials and 221 systematic reviews or meta-analyses in this library.
Is reflexology a pseudoscience?
Reflexology's core idea, that specific points on the feet map to distant organs, isn't backed by anatomy or physiology, and that's why critics call it pseudoscience. The relaxation and comfort people feel during a session are real, though. It's best understood as a complementary relaxation practice, not a medical treatment.
What is reflexology best supported for?
The strongest and most consistent evidence is for relaxation and short-term reduction in anxiety and pain, plus some cancer-care symptoms like nausea and fatigue. Evidence for treating specific diseases is weak. Use the evidence-strength filter to sort studies by how solid they are.
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