Does Reflexology Work? The Research
Although health researchers have only recently begun studying reflexology in a scientifically rigorous way, it’s widely practiced in many parts of the world and dates back thousands of years.
There have now been many research studies around the world showing reflexology to be effective for a variety of health concerns.
Click on the highlighted links below to access the full papers and references.
Anxiety, Depression & Stress
Effect of foot reflexology intervention on depression, anxiety and sleep quality in adults.
CONCLUSION: Foot reflexology may provide additional nonpharmacotherapy intervention for adults suffering from depression, anxiety, or sleep disturbance.
Randomised controlled trial of the foot reflexology on pain and anxiety severity during dressing change in burn patients
CONCLUSION: Comparing Reflexology (three times every other day in one week) to a control group in burns patients just prior to the change of dressing found that pain and anxiety was statistically relieved but not until the fourth, fifth and sixth days after the intervention.
Babies & Children
A pilot study of parents’ experiences of reflexology treatment for infants with colic in Finland
Back Pain
The effect of reflexology on low back pain in operating room nurses
Breastfeeding
Investigating the effect of reflexology on the breast milk volume of preterm infants’ mothers
Cancer & Palliative Care
The Effect of Reflexology on the Pain-Insomnia-Fatigue Disturbance Cluster of Breast Cancer Patients During Adjuvant Radiation Therapy
CONCLUSION: Reflexology may have a positive effect on fatigue, quality of sleep, pain, and quality of life in breast cancer patients during radiation therapy. Reflexology prevented the decline in quality of life and significantly ameliorated the fatigue and quality of sleep of these patients. An encouraging trend was also noted in amelioration of pain levels.
The effect of foot reflexology on fatigue, pain, and sleep quality in lymphoma patients: A clinical trial
CONCLUSION: In a comparison to usual care, the results showed that reflexology could reduce fatigue and pain and improve the quality of sleep in patients with lymphoma.
Complementary therapies for patients with cancer: Reflexology and relaxation in integrative palliative care.
CONCLUSION: A research study comparing reflexology to relaxation sessions in people living with cancer showed a significant decrease with both interventions in anxiety and depression. However, reflexology was found to be more effective in improving QoL (physical component) and had a greater effect on pain management than relaxation.
The effects of reflexology on anxiety, depression and quality of life in patients with gynaecological cancers with reference to Watson’s theory of human caring.
CONCLUSION: A study of reflexology in women with gynaecological cancers showed a reduction in anxiety, depression and an improvement in quality of life.
Cardiovascular
Effect of foot reflexology on chest pain and anxiety in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A double blind randomized clinical trial
CONCLUSION: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), chest pain was reduced after reflexology compared to both a placebo and a no intervention control group.
The effects of foot reflexology on blood pressure and heart rate: A randomized clinical trial in stage-2 hypertensive patients.
CONCLUSION: Using a specific reflexology technique it was shown that heart rate significantly reduced in patients with high blood pressure as compared to the control group. Blood pressure was reduced too but not to a statistical level.
COPD
Migraine
Effect of applying reflexology massage on nitroglycerin-induced migraine-type headache: A placebo-controlled clinical trial.
CONCLUSION: Comparing reflexology, control and placebo groups there was a statistically significant reduction in the intensity of migraine in the reflexology group.
Effects of feet reflexology versus segmental massage in reducing pain and its intensity, frequency and duration of the attacks in s with migraine: a pilot study.
CONCLUSION: Comparing reflexology to segmental massage, all variables using the visual analog scale (VAS), and headache features such as intensity (IA), frequency (FA) and duration (DA) statistically significantly reduced.
Menopause
The effect of foot reflexology applied to women aged between 40 and 60 on vasomotor complaints and quality of life
Conclusion: Reflexology can be effective in decreasing vasomotor (hot flashes, sweats, and night sweats) problems and increasing quality of life in the menopausal period
The effects of foot reflexology on depression during menopause: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Conclusion: Reflexology can be effective for reducing women’s depression during menopause
The effects of reflexology on sleep disorder in menopausal women
Conclusion: Reflexology is an effective therapy for sleep disorders and hot flushes in menopause
Multiple Sclerosis
Reflexology treatment relieves symptoms of multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled study
Conclusion: Specific reflexology treatment was of benefit in alleviating motor; sensory and urinary symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients.
Comparing the effects of reflexology and relaxation on fatigue in women with multiple sclerosis
Conclusion: Reflexology is effective and can be recommended.
A comparison of the effects of reflexology and relaxation on the psychological symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis
Conclusion: Reflexology is effective in relieving anxiety, stress and depression
Pain Relief
Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers
Parkinson’s Disease
Can reflexology maintain or improve the well-being of people with Parkinson’s Disease?
PMS
Effects of reflexology on premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis
CONCLUSION: From a joint analysis of several studies, reflexology relieves both somatic (body-related) and psychological (emotional) symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. The longer the treatment time in the study the greater the apparent effect.
Pregnancy
The effect of Reflexology on labour pain, anxiety, labour duration and birth satisfaction in primiparous pregnant women: A randomized controlled trial.
Conclusion: A study comparing reflexology during the first stage of labour to a control, showed reflexology is effective at decreasing pain and anxiety and increases birth satisfaction.
Reviewing the effects of Reflexology on pain and outcomes of the labour of primiparous women
Conclusion: Reflexology can lead to decrease in the labour pain. Therefore, regarding to the safety of this technique, it can be replaced as an alternative for pharmacological methods.
The effect of Reflexology on pain intensity and duration of labour on primiparas
Conclusion: Our findings showed that reflexology can be useful to decrease the pain intensity as well as duration of labour.
A pilot randomised controlled trial exploring the effects of antenatal reflexology on labour outcomes
Conclusion: In this trial antenatal reflexology reduced labour duration for primiparous women who had experienced low back and/or pelvic girdle pain during their pregnancy, compared with usual care and footbaths.
Randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of using foot reflexology to improve quality of sleep amongst post partum women
Conclusion: an intervention involving foot reflexology in the postnatal period significantly improved the quality of sleep.
Reflexology: A randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of beta-endorphin, cortisol and pregnancy related stress
Conclusion: Reflexology during pregnancy may help reduce low back and/or pelvic girdle pain and associated stress.
The Effects of Foot Reflexology on the Anxiety Levels of Women in Labour.
Conclusion: Foot reflexology was found to have a positive effect in lowering the total anxiety scores of the pregnant women.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
The effects of reflexology on pain and sleep deprivation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized controlled trial.
Conclusion: Foot reflexology is a non-pharmacological nursing intervention that may reduce the pain and sleep deprivation symptoms of RA patients.
The role of non-pharmacological interventions in the management of rheumatoid-arthritis-related fatigue
Conclusion: A study implies that personal approaches to fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients is warranted and that reflexology appears promising in this area.
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