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Effect of Foot Reflexology on Glycated Hemoglobin in Women with Type 2 Diabetes
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Maliheh Gholamzadeh    , Fatemeh Amini , Ali Mohammadpour , Habib Shareinia , Moosa Sajjadi * |
| Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, Nursing Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran , sajjadi1975@gmail.com |
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Abstract: (147 Views) |
Background & aim: Type 2 diabetes is one of the major challenges facing health systems, characterized by increasing prevalence and difficulties in achieving sustained glycemic control. Given the limitations of pharmacological treatments and the need for accessible, low cost approaches, complementary methods such as foot reflexology have been proposed as potential strategies to improve metabolic indicators. This study aimed to examine the effect of foot reflexology on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in women with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2020 on 30 women with type 2 diabetes selected through convenience sampling. Participants were allocated to intervention and control groups using permuted block randomization with blocks of four. The intervention group received 18 sessions of foot reflexology (three 30 minute sessions per week). Data were collected before and after the intervention and analyzed using independent t test, paired t test, chi square, Mann–Whitney, and Fisher’s exact test at a significance level of P<0.05.
Results: Independent t test showed no significant difference in baseline HbA1c between the intervention group (7.6 ± 0.5) and the control group (7.7 ± 0.6) (P = 0.78), indicating initial homogeneity. After the intervention, paired t test demonstrated a significant reduction in HbA1c in the intervention group from 7.6 ± 0.5 to 7.4 ± 0.5 (P = 0.015), whereas the change in the control group from 7.7 ± 0.6 to 7.7 ± 0.7 was not statistically significant (P = 0.19). Post intervention independent t test showed that HbA1c in the intervention group (7.4 ± 0.5) was significantly lower than in the control group (7.7 ± 0.7) (P = 0.014).
Conclusion: Foot reflexology, as a non invasive, non pharmacological, low cost, and safe complementary method, can effectively reduce HbA1c and blood glucose levels in women with type 2 diabetes and may be recommended as an adjunct to conventional diabetes care. Considering its simplicity and the possibility of patient training, incorporating this technique into routine care programs may be beneficial. Future studies with larger sample sizes and more diverse populations are recommended to enhance the generalizability of the findings. |
Article number: 7 |
| Keywords: Reflexology, Glycated Hemoglobin, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 |
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Full-Text [PDF 1349 kb]
(36 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/03/14 | Accepted: 2026/06/23 | Published: 2026/07/11
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