Chronic low back pain is a symptom frequently mentioned by clients, however is not always something they expect reflexology to offer support with.
When low back pain has been present over a long period of time, perhaps due to an occupational role or an old musculoskeletal injury, I have found clients tend to approach it as something they have learned to live with and manage it with a combination of medication, often combined with self-help measures (eg. keeping active and regular stretching exercises).
Could reflexology complement these existing measures to support the management of low back pain?
The article I have linked below features a study on the effects of reflexology on low back pain on nurses in an operating room. Although the study group is only small (and not randomly assigned), the findings are very encouraging, as results showed “reflexology significantly reduced the pain of nurses who had low back pain” and it was concluded that “reflexology might be useful in controlling low back pain of operating room nurses”.
To find out more, please click the link below:
The Effect of Reflexology on Low Back Pain in Operating Room Nurses
Kandemir Didem; Abdullayev Ayşegül; Seyhan Ak Ezgi; Altun Uğraş Gülay; Kanan Nevin
Holistic Nursing Practice March/April 2020 (Vol 36 Issue 2, Pages 112-118)