Effect of Reflexology on Pain and Sleep Disorders in Females With Fibromyalgia

Overview

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effect of foot reflexology on pain and sleep disorders in Egyptian female patients with fibromyalgia. Sixty female participants aged 18 to 65 years diagnosed with fibromyalgia will be randomly assigned into two equal groups. The control group will receive conventional physical therapy, including aerobic exercise, resistance training, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), while the experimental group will receive the same treatment in addition to foot reflexology. Interventions will be delivered twice weekly for six weeks. Pain, sleep quality, psychological distress, and functional activity will be evaluated at baseline and after treatment using validated Arabic assessment tools and pressure pain threshold measurements. The study aims to determine whether reflexology provides additional benefits when combined with conventional physical therapy in women with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and impaired quality of life. Women represent the majority of affected individuals, and many patients continue to experience persistent symptoms despite pharmacological treatment. Reflexology is a non-invasive complementary therapy involving pressure application to specific foot reflex zones and has been proposed as an adjunctive intervention for symptom management in fibromyalgia. This study is a prospective single-blinded randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effect of reflexology on pain, sleep quality, psychological distress, and functional activity in female patients with fibromyalgia. Sixty Egyptian female participants aged 18-65 years who meet fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria will be recruited and randomly allocated into two equal groups. The control group will receive conventional physical therapy consisting of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The experimental group will receive the same conventional physical therapy program in addition to foot reflexology. Both groups will receive treatment twice weekly for six weeks. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and post-treatment and include pressure pain threshold using algometry, the Arabic Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Arabic Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Arabic Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Arabic Short Form-36 Health Survey. The study seeks to determine whether adding foot reflexology to conventional physical therapy improves pain, sleep quality, psychological status, and functional outcomes in women with fibromyalgia.