Published Reflexology Research

Digestive Disorders

Constipation 
Study 1-
42 women aged 20-60 participated in a study to see the impact of reflexology on chronic constipation. The average number of days between bowel movements were reduced from 4.4 days to 1.8 days after reflexology treatments were provided. (FDZ-Danish reflexology association 1992)

Study 2-
40 residents of an old people's home had reflexology to see the impact on the digestive process. 20 were diagnosed as constipated and 20 not. 5 days before the reflexology treatment they were all given a carbon tablet and bowel transit time was recorded. All received reflexology treatments for 10 days. The carbon tablet re-administered elimination times were examined. The time between taking the carbon tablet and the last black stool was:
  • Constipation group - (before) average 77hrs; (after) 51.5hrs (33% change)
  • Non-constipation group - (before) average 57.5hrs; (after) 46hrs (20% change)
(Yuru, Yang; Lingyun, Chao; Guangling, Meng; Scuwe, Cao; Jia-Mo, Hao and Suhui, Zhang, "Exploring the Application of Foot Reflexology to the Preventions and Treatment of Functional Constipation," 1994 China Reflexology Symposium Report , China Reflexology Association, Beijing , p. 62)

Dyspepsia
230 people had been diagnosed with Dyspepsia, with the following symptoms: upper abdominal discomfort, bloating, satiety, belching, nausea, acid reflux, heartburn. The following had been ruled out by barium studies, gastroscopy and ultrasonsgraphy: peptic ulcer, gastric carcinoma, gastritis reflux esophagitis, hiatal hernia, hepatobiliary disease and pancreatic disease.

132 individuals were given reflexology for 30 mins once or twice a day for a fortnight. 98 received drug therapy for two weeks.
  • The foot reflexology group was found to be: very effective (98 or 74.2%), effective (30 or 22.7%), failure (4 or 0.3%).
  • The drug therapy group was found to be very effective (58 or 60.4%), effective (14 or 14.5%), failure (24 or 25%).

(Zhi-wen, Gong and Wei-song, Xin, "Foot Reflexology in the Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia: A Clinical Analysis of 132 Cases," (19)96 Beijing International Reflexology Conference (Report), China Preventive Medical Association and the Chinese Society of Reflexology, Beijing , 1996, p. 37)

Intestinal function
32 healthy adults (19 women and 13 men) were randomly divided into a reflexology and a placebo group to assess the impact on intestinal blood flow. Subjects of the treatment group received foot massage on the zones assigned to the intestines and those of the placebo group received massage on zones unrelated to the intestines. The following items were recorded before, during and after reflexology:
  • Blood flow velocity (speed)
  • The peak systolic (highest blood pressure)
  • Lowest diastolic (lowest blood pressure) in the superior mesenteric artery (in the intestines) as well as the resistive index as a parameter of vascular resistance were calculated.

Results:
  • In the reflexology group: During the treatment there was a significant reduction in the resistive index (p = 0.021), suggesting an increase in the blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery and the subordinate vascular system.
  • In the placebo group: There were no significant changes in the resistive index in the subjects of the placebo group.
Conclusion: The reduction in the resistive index observed in the reflexology group supports the theory that reflexology improves blood flow in the organs considered to be associated with the specific foot zones, at least during the therapy process."

J, Egger I, Bodner G, Eibl G, Hartig F, Pfeiffer KP, Herold M., "Influence of reflex zone therapy of the feet on intestinal blood flow measured by color Doppler sonography," [Article in German] Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2001 Apr;8(2):86-9. (Universitatsklinik fur Innere Medizin, Innsbruck , Austria ) (Copyright 2001 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg ( Mur E, Schmidseder) PMID: 11340315