Welcome to the Podiatry Arena forums

You are currently viewing our podiatry forum as a guest which gives you limited access to view all podiatry discussions and access our other features. By joining our free global community of Podiatrists and other interested foot health care professionals you will have access to post podiatry topics (answer and ask questions), communicate privately with other members, upload content, view attachments, receive a weekly email update of new discussions, access other special features. Registered users do not get displayed the advertisements in posted messages. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our global Podiatry community today!

  1. Have you considered the Clinical Biomechanics Boot Camp Online, for taking it to the next level? See here for more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
Have you considered the Clinical Biomechanics Boot Camp Online, for taking it to the next level? See here for more.
Dismiss Notice
Have you liked us on Facebook to get our updates? Please do. Click here for our Facebook page.
Dismiss Notice
Do you get the weekly newsletter that Podiatry Arena sends out to update everybody? If not, click here to organise this.

Reflexology is not an effective treatment for any medical condition

Discussion in 'General Issues and Discussion Forum' started by LuckyLisfranc, Sep 7, 2009.

  1. Tkemp

    Tkemp Active Member

    I trained in Reflexology about 14years ago.
    I dont believe it can "cure" health conditions but I do feel areas of the body are linked to the feet and hands.
    My brother didn't believe in reflexology, but I won the argument by pressing the bladder point on his feet! haha, see him run/hobble to the toilet :rolleyes:
    If I have a headache I rub the head point on my thumbs, if I have travel sickness i rub the pressure point on my wrists.
    Maybe it is placebo, but in some ways it works ....... the family still laughs over the 'bladder point' incident :drinks
     
  2. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The Effects of Foot Reflexology Massage on Physiological Parameters of Patients with Stroke
    A. Mohammadpour; A. Dehno Alian; S.J. Mojtabavi
    Hamadan Nursing & Midwifery Journal (?)
     
  3. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Reflexology has no immediate haemodynamic effect in patients with chronic heart failure: A double blind randomised controlled trial
    Jenny Jones, Patricia Thomson, William Lauder, Kate Howie. Stephen J. Leslie
    Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice; Article in Press
     
  4. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Role of reflexology and antiepileptic drugs in managing intractable epilepsy - a randomized controlled trial.
    Dalal K, Devarajan E, Pandey RM, Subbiah V, Tripathi M.
    Forsch Komplementmed. 2013;20(2):104-11.
     
  5. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Noninvasive characterisation of foot reflexology areas by swept source-optical coherence tomography in patients with low back pain.
    Dalal K, Elanchezhiyan D, Das R, Dalal D, Pandey RM, Chatterjee S, Upadhyay AD, Maran VB, Chatterjee J.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:983769.
     
  6. Rob Kidd

    Rob Kidd Well-Known Member

    As I have said before, while in no way condoning their therapies, I have taught anatomy to reflexology student on many occasions; generally I find them to be well meaning, intelligent, people with an open mind. I hear all you say vis : evidence based practice. Rob
     
  7. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The effect of reflexology applied on haemodialysis patients with fatigue, pain and cramps.
    Ozdemir G, Ovayolu N, Ovayolu O.
    Int J Nurs Pract. 2013 Jun;19(3):265-73. doi: 10.1111/ijn.12066.
     
  8. Lab Guy

    Lab Guy Well-Known Member

    In the hands of a gifted practitioner, I love reflexology. I also love energy healing, such as Healing Touch, Reiki, Reconnection Healing, et. I love my science and my psuedoscience.

    That being said, I do not think any medical claims should be made other than it will promote relaxation and a sense of well being. Sessions should also be paid out of pocket and not by insurance.

    Steven
     
  9. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    Of relevance here is this:
    Patient interaction a key ingredient to pain reduction .... just paying attention to the patient can reduce pain.
     
  10. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The effect of Foot reflex zone therapy on the intensity of Premenstrual syndrome symptoms in students of girls hostels of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 2010
    Homa Dastegheib Shirazi, Fahime Sehhatie, Morteza Ghojazade , Mahin Kamali Fard
    Medical Sciences Journal of Islamic Azad university Volume 23, Number 2 (2013)
     
  11. HansMassage

    HansMassage Active Member

    Medical condition: Condition requiring the administration of a medicine to effect a cure or relief.
    Medical Profession: Practitioners who believe all conditions should be treated with medicine. If your condition appears to be perfectly healthy you need a medicine to keep it that way.
    Alternative Healthcare: Competitive threat to medical care which must be suppressed by all means possible.

    Postulate: If everything we do affects the feet then treating the feet without considering what clients are doing is not an effective treatment. Ignoring painful spots in the feet when there is an adverse health condition is not an ethical approach unless your education dictates that all conditions can be cured with medicine and surgery.

    http://reflexposturology.weebly.com/
     
  12. W J Liggins

    W J Liggins Well-Known Member

    Sorry, but this sort of twaddle is what gets alternative healthcare a bad name. As a beginning, please give the references (citations) of your quotation. If, as I suspect, you just made it up, then we could all happily spend a great deal of time creating alternatives. Frankly, I have better things to do, but in order to massage your ego, I am prepared to listen to the justification for your statement.

    W J Liggins
     
  13. Lab Guy

    Lab Guy Well-Known Member

    Alternative Healthcare: Competitive threat to medical care which must be suppressed by all means possible.


    Alternative Health Care: Treatment provided by the vast majority of practitioners that have limited to no knowledge of Allopathic medicine. What follows from this lack of knowledge is a lack of wisdom to properly discern appropriate treatment and referral when necessary. These practitioners do not have a relationship with traditional medical doctors. This type of healh care carries a high threat to cause harm to the unknowing public at large (example, Steve Jobs).

    Complementary Health Care: These are alternative health care practitioners that understand and embrace the necessity of working in concert with physicians trained in allopathic medicine. They understand that their treatment modality is an adjunct to the total treatment plan developed by the treating physician.

    I could be wrong, but that is the way I currently see it.

    Steven
     
  14. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Effect of Foot Reflexology on Blood Pressure in Patients with Stroke
    Ali Mohammadpour, - Atefeh Dehnoalian, Javad Mojtabavi
    Source
     
  15. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    That was NOT a study on reflexology. It was a study on a damn good foot massage; of course it would lower the blood pressure!

    If it was a study on reflexology, then there would be a control group; a foot massage group; and a group that was given the 'reflexology' "treatment".
     
  16. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    EFFECTIVENESS OF FOOT REFLEXOLOGY ON POSTOPERATIVE PAIN AMONG POST CAESAREAN MOTHERS IN SELECTED MATERNITY HOSPITAL, MANGALORE
    FERNANDES, SACHITHA PREEMA
    Thesis; Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences,Karnataka,Bangalore 2013
     
  17. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    Nope; it did NOT prove that! ... for the same reasons as the study above.
     
  18. Lab Guy

    Lab Guy Well-Known Member

    Reflexology is a sensational, dynamic yet simple approach to glowing health. Touch could induce pain relief by activating the large beta afferent nerve fibres from receptors in the skin as they connect with the cells in dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Stimulation of these fibres by stroking skin has been found to affect the activity of these nociceptive cells in the dorsal horn close the gate on the barrage of painful xi stimuli reaching the brain. The nurse is important health care personnel who can help the post operative mother who have undergone caesarean section in her pain management. Hence the researcher felt the need to evaluate the effectiveness of foot reflexology on post operative pain among post caesarean mothers in selected maternity hospital, Mangalore.

    I agree with you Craig. It also appears they were writing about the results of a "damn good foot massage" and not reflexology in their description. My guess (at least in the USA) is that therapists use the term reflexology as it sounds more impressive than foot massage when in fact they are really just doing a foot massage.

    My other educated guess is that a good foot massage is going to achieve the same level of relaxation and pain relief as a foot reflexology session as the same reflex points (if indeed they really exist) are going to be stimulated.


    Steven
     
  19. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    A Randomized-Controlled Trial Examining the Effects of Reflexology on Anxiety of Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography
    Mehdi Molavi Vardanjani, Negin Masoudi Alavi, Narges Sadat Razavi, Mohammad, Aghajani, Esmail Azizi-Fini, Seied Morteza Vaghefi
    Nursing and Midwifery Studies. 2013 September; 2(1): 3-9.
     
  20. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    I had high hopes for this one when I read the abstract. For the first time the "reflexology" was just not a "damn good foot massage". In this study both groups got a "damn good foot massage" and one group was additionally given stimulation of specific reflexology points.

    BUT:
    - it was "randomized", but somehow they ended up with exactly 50 in each group --> small red flag. No info was given on how they did the randomization.
    - somehow the group that received the reflexology intervention had a much bigger level of anxiety prior to the intervention (p<0.0000)!! --> really big red flag
    .... both groups had a statistically significant reduction in anxiety levels, but the reduction was greater (p=0.014) in the reflexology group .... well of course it would be as they had higher levels to start with! --> fatal flaw.
    I don't think so. ... BUT if I ever need a coronary angiography, I would love to get some really good foot massages to decrease my anxiety!
     
  21. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Reflexology has no immediate haemodynamic effect in patients with chronic heart failure: a double blind randomised controlled trial.
    Jones J, Thomson P, Lauder W, Howie K, Leslie SJ.
    Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2013 Aug;19(3):133-8.
     
  22. kdfootsteps

    kdfootsteps Member

    SO which do you believe? God or Aliens?






     
  23. Lab Guy

    Lab Guy Well-Known Member

    It's not about belief or faith, its about hard core scientific evidence to prove what is real so that it may become an acceptable standard of care internationally.

    Steven
     
  24. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    THE EFFECT OF FOOT REFLEXOLOGY MASSAGE ON PAIN INTENSITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN VISITED TO PHYSICAL THERAPY UNIT IN BAGHIATHALLAH HOSPITAL IN TEHRAN
    NAZEMIZADEH M.,JALALODINI A.*,REZVANI M.,YOSEFIAN N.,POURNAMDAR Z.,GHALGE M.
    ZAHEDAN OF MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, NURSING AND WIDMIFRY COLLAGE, ZAHEDAN, IRAN
    source
     
  25. owrang

    owrang Member

    I have on more than 1 occassion come across new patients who have pointed to a point under their foot and told me their reflexologist has told them the reason for their pain is due to for example an issue with their kidney.... and what do I think. I have replied no actually you have a corn there.
     
  26. W J Liggins

    W J Liggins Well-Known Member


    Again and again and again.... it's foot massage - NOT reflexology. The clue is in the conclusion " In the end, the study showed foot reflexology massage has effect on reducing pain intensity "

    Bill Liggins
     
  27. akn102

    akn102 Active Member

    I'd absolutely second that. If you're in pain and reflexology helps you relax, I'd take the view it is harmless and, if it helps the individual, we should embrace it. Just as 'pain is whatever the patient says it is' surely 'relief is whatever the patient says it is' too....
     
  28. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    Reflexology is a fraud and a scam and has NO place in health care.

    Why not just give them a good foot massage and help them relax?
     
  29. akn102

    akn102 Active Member

    Hi Craig,
    In the UK reflexology has been encouraged in some hospitals after surgery (I think this was in Wales but don't quote me on that). I don't think it has ever been suggested here that it is a medical treatment but simply something to support people after their surgery/stress (or whatever has happened). I know the AOR (reflexology governing body here in the UK) categorically state they are not claiming to provide medical care of any sort although the NHS here do have a list of approved practitioners for all sorts of complementary therapies.

    I respect your opinion and when you ask 'why not give them a good foot massage?' I agree I don't personally advocate the 'foot charts' reflexologists use although I know the zone therapy on which they base their practise is closely related to acupunture (although I know no more than this). I take the view that I wouldn't recommend reflexology as a medical treatment, and in that sense I agree with you, but I also believe that medical care must extend beyond the mere mechanical functioning of the human body and must incorporate the emotional, mental and social aspects of life too; in that sense I embrace any complementary therapy that does not harm and helps people feel better when incorporated into mainsteam medical care that is dealing with the physical body!
     
  30. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The effects of foot reflexology massage on anxiety in patients following coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A randomized controlled trial.
    Bagheri-Nesami M, Shorofi SA, Zargar N, Sohrabi M, Gholipour-Baradari A, Khalilian A.
    Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2014 Feb;20(1):42-7.
     
  31. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    Red flag. You can not "randomise" and "matched on age and gender" at the same time. Participants were NOT randomized --> not good. They ended up with exactly 40 in each group --> pretty hard to happen if true randomisation!

    The reflexology intervention was just a damn good 20 minute massage! The control was a light rub for 1 min and a 19 minute chat with the researcher!

    Using one anxiety measure:
    Using another anxety measure:
    Looking at the data, the experimental group had higher levels of anxiety to start with (though they did not do a stats test to see if significant) --> higher levels to start with --> greater scope for improvement.

    I don't trust the results due to the non-random nature of the allocation and the higher baseline levels of anxiety in the experimental group.

    And even if the results were valid, all they did was compare a 20 minute foot massgae to 1 minute foot massage and 19 minute chat (which could stress the subject out!) ... it was NOT a study of reflexology.
     
  32. RobinP

    RobinP Well-Known Member

    My wife is 8 months pregnant. I will not be showing her this piece of "research" on the grounds that
    a) it is complete nonsense
    b) I have no desire to give her a goddam foot massage when she is in labour

    I'll give the reflexologist a call ;)
     
  33. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The effect of foot reflexology massage on the level of pain during chest tube removal after open heart surgery
    Saeed Babajani, Hosein Babatabar *, Abbas Ebadi, Hosein Mahmoudi , Ebrahim Nasiri
    IJCCN. 2014; 7 (1) :21-30
     
  34. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    I do not have access to the full text of this one, but there are more than enough red flags in this study for me not to want to read it. ... starting with the within groups analysis rather than between!
     
  35. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    A Randomized Control Trial to Determine the Effect of Foot Reflexology on Intensity of Pain and Quality of Sleep in Post Caesarean Mothers
    Jipi Varghese, Jobby George, Yathikumara Swamy Gowda
    IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS)
    e-ISSN: 2320–1959.p- ISSN: 2320–1940 Volume 3, Issue 1 Ver. IV (Jan. 2014), PP 39-43

     
  36. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    WTF?
    Yet another reflexology study that uses random allocation yet still manages to get the exact same number in each group! --> red flag

    The intervention was NOT "reflexology", it was just a good foot rub for 15 mins. The control group got nothing. .... Hawthorne effect?

    Red flags:
    - subjects in the control group were older than the intervention group
    - analysis appears to have used multiple t-tests (I say "appeared" as its hard to tell!)
     
  37. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The Physiological and Biochemical Outcomes Associated with a Reflexology Treatment: A Systematic Review
    J. E. M. McCullough, S. D. Liddle, M. Sinclair, C. Close, and C. M. Hughes
    Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2014, Article ID 502123, 16 pages
     
  38. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Effect of foot reflexology on physiologic index of neonates
    Nasrin Samadi et al
    Iranian Jnl of Neonatology; Article 14, Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 2014, Page 19-22
     
  39. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    The Effects of Foot Reflexology on Arthralgia, Ankylosis, Depression, and Sleep in Community-dwelling Elderly Women with Osteoarthritis
    Chung Soon Kim, Kwang Soo Yoo, and Se Hwa Hong
    J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs. 2014 Sep;25(3):207-216. Korean.
     
  40. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

    Articles:
    1
    Effect of self-administered foot reflexology for symptom management in healthy persons: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    Hyun Jin Songcorrespondence, Heejeong Son, Hyun-Ju Seo, Heeyoung Lee, Sun Mi Choi, Sanghun Lee
    Complementary Therapies in Medicine; Articles in Press
     
Loading...

Share This Page