The effect of foot reflexology on back pain among cricketers

Background and aims: The purpose of this quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was to determine the effectiveness of reflexology onself-reported back pain compared to placebo (massage) and control among cricketers.Methods: The volunteer participants consisted of ۴۵ male cricket players who had been training at least for three years with a mean age of۱۸.۴۸۱±۲.۳۲ years, mean body mass of ۶۴.۳۱±۷.۶۵, mean height of ۱۷۴±۵.۳۹ cm, and a mean body mass index of ۲۱.۰۷± ۱.۹۷ kg/m².Cricketers were trained at Chandigarh and Mohali (India) cricket stadiums and participated in Interstate competition ۲۰۱۷. Cricketers wererandomly assigned to reflexology, placebo, and control treatment groups. The reflexology group received topical pressure applied to theirfeet using a specific reflex area believed to have an effect on back pain. In addition, the placebo group received a foot massage avoidingreflexology area and control group received back pain information. Pre- and post-treatment interviews were conducted after one week(۷ sessions). Each treatment was administered for ۱۵ minutes as well. To determine the degree of the effect of reflexology on back pain,multiple regressions, and the factorial ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to analyze the hypotheses.Results: Both reflexology (P < ۰.۰۰۱) and massage (P < ۰.۰۰۱) treatments resulted in reducing the pain compared to providing back paininformation, and there were significant differences between the reflexology and placebo groups (P < ۰.۰۰۱). Finally, the results indicatedthat reflexology may have a positive effect on back pain.Conclusion: Overall, foot reflexology, as an avenue for human touch, can be performed anywhere, requires no special equipment, isnoninvasive, and does not interfere with patients’ privacy. However, an adequately powered trial is required before any more definitivepronouncements are possible.

Keywords:

Reflexology , Back pain , Cricketers