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PubMed · 42574854

Short-term effects of foot reflexology on pain, anxiety, and physiological responses in women with shoulder and neck pain: A randomized controlled trial.

Ching-Ching Kung·Yueh-Chiao Yeh·Yo-Yu Liu
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Shoulder and neck pain (SNP) is a common musculoskeletal complaint among women and is often accompanied by heightened anxiety. Foot reflexology (FR) is a complementary therapy proposed to promote relaxation and short-term psychophysiological regulation. This study examined the short-term effects of a single session of FR on pain, anxiety, and physiological responses in women with SNP. METHODS: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with 80 women aged 20-64&#xa0;years in southern Taiwan. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups: FR, exercise, or passive rest control. Each group received a single 50-min session. Pain intensity and anxiety were assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), respectively. Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded as physiological indicators. Outcomes were measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 24-h follow-up. RESULTS: Baseline pain, anxiety, and physiological measures did not significantly differ among groups. Immediately after the intervention, both the FR and exercise groups demonstrated greater reductions in pain intensity compared with the passive rest control (P&#xa0;<&#xa0;0.001 and P&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.018, respectively). The FR group additionally showed greater reductions in anxiety and heart rate compared with the passive rest group (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.005 and P&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.001, respectively). Pain reduction in the FR group remained significant at the 24-h follow-up (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.013), whereas anxiety reductions were not sustained. No significant between-group differences were observed for systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: A single session of FR was associated with immediate and short-term reductions in pain, anxiety, and heart rate among women with SNP. Foot reflexology may serve as a supportive, non-pharmacological approach for short-term modulation, although sustained effects require further investigation.

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HumansFemaleAdultAnxietyShoulder PainNeck PainMiddle AgedSingle-Blind MethodMassageFootHeart RateYoung AdultPain MeasurementBlood PressureFoot reflexologyNeck painPain reliefShoulder painJournal ArticleRandomized Controlled Trial

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Ching-Ching Kung, Yueh-Chiao Yeh, Yo-Yu Liu. 2026-08-10. Short-term effects of foot reflexology on pain, anxiety, and physiological responses in women with shoulder and neck pain: A randomized controlled trial.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107613

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Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial resourceAdult subjectAnxiety subjectBlood Pressure subjectFemale subjectHeart Rate subjectHumans subjectJournal Article subjectMiddle Aged subjectNeck Pain subjectPain Measurement subjectRandomized controlled trials study

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