This study seeked to examine and compare the respective impacts of warm foot baths and foot reflexology on depression in patients undergoing radiotherapy.
A randomized clinical trial was conducted at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2019, following CONSORT guidelines. Participants included non-metastatic cancer patients aged 18-60 undergoing a 28-day radiotherapy course. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either warm footbaths or foot reflexology as interventions, performed daily for 20 min over 21 days. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.
Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences in demographic attributes between the two groups. Both interventions led to a significant reduction in depression scores post-treatment compared to pre-treatment assessments. Foot reflexology showed a greater reduction in depression scores compared to footbaths with warm water.
The authors concluded that both warm footbaths and foot reflexology are effective in alleviating depression in patients undergoing radiotherapy, with foot reflexology showing a greater impact on improving depression levels. The study recommends foot reflexology as a preferred intervention for managing depression in these patients if conditions and facilities permit.
Proponents of reflexology suggest that manipulating specific points on the sole of the foot influences the physiological responses of corresponding organs. By exerting pressure on these reflex areas, numerous nerve endings in the soles are claimed to get activated, triggering the release of endorphins. This process helps block the transmission of pain signals, promotes comfort, reduces tension, and fosters a sense of tranquility. These assumptions fly in the face of science, of course. Yet, they impress many patients. By contrast, a footbath is just a footbath. Nobody makes any hocucpocus claimes about it.
What I am trying to explain is this: the placebo effect associated with a footbath is bound to be smaller than that of reflexology. And the minimal difference in outcomes (9.5 versus 8.9 on a scale ranging from 0 to 63) observed in this study are likely to be unrelated to reflexology itself – most probably, they are due to placebo responses.
So, what would you prefer, a footbath that is straight forwardly agreeable, or a treatment like reflexology that generates slightly better effects due to placebo and expectation but indoctrinates you with all sorts of pseudoscientific nonsense that undermines rational thinking about your health?
One Response to The anti-depressive effects of warm footbaths versus those of reflexology
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Couple of things…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11401351/ is the full paper.
They mistakenly refer to the “Beck Depression Questionnaire”, which should be “Beck Depression Inventory”.
The BDI scores are in the minimal depression range, so any claims about “depression” are not valid.
* Insert my usual whinge about the use of any self-report MH scale without any external supporting evidence*
This is pretty thin gruel and making claims on the basis of it is beyond speculative.
On the – desperately searching for something – plus side, at least, unusually for woosters, they did use a recognised and well-validated scale, even though they used it badly.