Tiredness and sleep disorders
Tiredness and sleep disorders
Clinical study: Effects of foot reflexology on fatigue, sleep and pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Research:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of foot reflexology for fatigue, sleep disorders and pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out for this purpose. A search of electronic databases and a manual evaluation of published studies on this topic were carried out.
A total of 44 studies were included:
- 15 to fatigue
- 18 on sleep disorders
- 11 to pain
The results were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.0. In addition, homogeneity, fail-safe N-value and publication bias (using a funnel plot) were checked.
Results:
Foot reflexology showed a stronger effect on fatigue and sleep quality, while the effect on pain was less pronounced. This meta-analysis confirms that foot reflexology is a valuable nursing intervention to relieve fatigue and promote healthy sleep.
Read full study
Lee J, Han M, Chung Y, et al. Effects of foot reflexology on fatigue, sleep and pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing. 41(6):821-33, 2011
