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Effect of Reflexology on Pain and Sleep Disorders in Females With Fibromyalgia (REFLEX-FM)

3 juin 2026 mis à jour par: Ghada Mahmoud Mohamed El-Hady Ismaeil, Cairo University

The Effect of Reflexology on Pain and Sleep Disorders in Females With Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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.

Aperçu de l'étude

Statut

Recrutement

Les conditions

Intervention / Traitement

Description détaillée

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.

Type d'étude

Interventionnel

Inscription (Estimé)

60

Phase

  • N'est pas applicable

Contacts et emplacements

Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.

Coordonnées de l'étude

Lieux d'étude

  • Egypte
    • Dakahlia Governorate
      • Al Mansurah, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypte, 35744
        • Recrutement
        • Dekernis General Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Chercheur principal:
          • Ghada M Mohamed El-Hady Ismaeil, BSc, PT

Critères de participation

Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.

Critère d'éligibilité

Âges éligibles pour étudier

  • Adulte
  • Adulte plus âgé

Accepte les volontaires sains

Non

La description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Egyptian female participants aged 18 to 65 years
  • Diagnosis of fibromyalgia according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria
  • Moderate pain intensity
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Comorbid conditions affecting pain or sleep, including rheumatoid arthritis and related disorders
  • Previous reflexology treatment within the previous 6 months
  • Any medical condition preventing participation in physical therapy or reflexology intervention
  • Refusal or inability to comply with study procedures and follow-up requirements

Plan d'étude

Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.

Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?

Détails de conception

  • Objectif principal: Traitement
  • Répartition: Randomisé
  • Modèle interventionnel: Affectation parallèle
  • Masquage: Seul

Armes et Interventions

Groupe de participants / Bras
Intervention / Traitement
Comparateur actif: Control Group
Participants will receive conventional physical therapy including aerobic exercise, resistance training, stretching exercises, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) twice weekly for six weeks.
Autre: Conventional Physical Therapy
Conventional physical therapy includes aerobic exercise, stretching, and low-load resistance training administered twice weekly for six weeks. Exercise programs will be individualized and progressively adjusted according to participant tolerance.
Dispositif: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
High-frequency TENS will be administered twice weekly for six weeks using conventional settings for pain management in fibromyalgia participants.
Expérimental: Experimental Group
Participants will receive conventional physical therapy in addition to foot reflexology twice weekly for six weeks. Conventional physical therapy includes aerobic exercise, resistance training, stretching exercises, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Foot reflexology sessions will be conducted for 30 minutes per session following standardized reflexology protocols.
Autre: Conventional Physical Therapy
Conventional physical therapy includes aerobic exercise, stretching, and low-load resistance training administered twice weekly for six weeks. Exercise programs will be individualized and progressively adjusted according to participant tolerance.
Dispositif: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
High-frequency TENS will be administered twice weekly for six weeks using conventional settings for pain management in fibromyalgia participants.
Comportemental: Foot Reflexology
Foot reflexology will be delivered twice weekly for six weeks, with each session lasting 30 minutes. Moderate thumb and finger pressure will be applied bilaterally to standardized foot reflex zones associated with fibromyalgia symptom management.

Que mesure l'étude ?

Principaux critères de jugement

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)
Délai: Baseline and 6 weeks
Pressure pain threshold will be assessed using a digital pressure algometer at predefined tender points. Three measurements will be obtained and averaged for analysis. Higher values indicate reduced pain sensitivity.
Baseline and 6 weeks
Fibromyalgia Symptom Impact (FIQ-A)
Délai: Baseline and 6 weeks
Fibromyalgia symptom impact will be assessed using the Arabic version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-A). Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater disease impact and symptom burden.
Baseline and 6 weeks

Mesures de résultats secondaires

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Sleep Quality (PSQI-A)
Délai: Baseline and 6 weeks
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Arabic version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-A). The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality and greater sleep disturbance.
Baseline and 6 weeks
Psychological Distress (HADS)
Délai: Baseline and 6 weeks
Psychological distress will be evaluated using the Arabic Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), including anxiety and depression subscales. Each subscale score ranges from 0 to 21 and the total score ranges from 0 to 42. Higher scores indicate greater psychological distress.
Baseline and 6 weeks
Functional Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life (SF-36v2)
Délai: Baseline and 6 weeks
Functional activity and health-related quality of life will be assessed using the Arabic version of the Short Form-36 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-36v2). Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status, physical functioning, and quality of life.
Baseline and 6 weeks

Collaborateurs et enquêteurs

C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.

Parrainer

Cairo University

Publications et liens utiles

La personne responsable de la saisie des informations sur l'étude fournit volontairement ces publications. Il peut s'agir de tout ce qui concerne l'étude.

Publications générales

Dates d'enregistrement des études

Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.

Dates principales de l'étude

Début de l'étude (Estimé)

3 juin 2026

Achèvement primaire (Estimé)

31 octobre 2026

Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)

31 octobre 2026

Dates d'inscription aux études

Première soumission

22 mai 2026

Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

22 mai 2026

Première publication (Réel)

29 mai 2026

Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude

Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)

4 juin 2026

Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

3 juin 2026

Dernière vérification

1 juin 2026

Plus d'information

Termes liés à cette étude

Mots clés

Termes MeSH pertinents supplémentaires

Autres numéros d'identification d'étude

  • FPT-CU-REFLEX-FM-2026
  • P.T.REC/012/006040 (Autre identifiant: Research Ethical Committee, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University)

Plan pour les données individuelles des participants (IPD)

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INDÉCIS

Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude

Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

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