Effects of Foot Reflexo-massage on Physical, Psychological, Physiological Parameters in Patients with Osteoarthritis

Uhm, Dong Choon

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of foot reflexo-massage on physical, psychological, and physiological parameters in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. METHOD: This study was employed non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest time series experimental design. The subjects of this study were 47 elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee from two different nursing homes in Deajeon. The patients were divided into two groups; 26 patients in experimental group, the rest in control group. Each patient in experimental group received the 30-minute foot reflexo-massage, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The dependent variables of each patient were measured before treatment, after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks during the treatment session. The collected data was analyzed using the Social Package Social Science(version 10.0) software program. RESULT: There were significant differences in the flexion angle of both knees; the flexion and extension muscle strength of both knees; systolic blood pressure; POMS; plantaris skin temperature and blood velocity of dorsalis pedis artery between the two groups over different the three measurement times. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that foot reflexo-massage could be an effective intervention to improve physical, psychological and physiological parameters for patients with knee osteoarthritis.