Effects of 6-week Foot Reflexology on the Blood Pressure and Fatigue in Elderly Patients with Hypertension

Cho, Gyoo Yeong; Park, Hyoung Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to evaluate the effects of foot reflexology on blood pressure, serum lipids, fatigue and self-efficacy in patients with hypertension. METHODS: The research was done between June 23 and July 31, 2003 and the design was an experimental treatment design. The thirty-four participants were assigned to either an experimental group (18) or a control group (16), Foot reflexology was administered twice a week for 6 weeks to participants in the experimental group. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure in the experimental group compared to the control group. After the foot reflexology, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels for the experimental group did not decrease significantly compared to the control group. High density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein levels also did not decrease significantly after foot reflexology. Fatigue in the experimental group decreased significantly after foot reflexology. Self-efficacy in the experimental group did not decrease significantly after foot reflexology. CONCLUSION: The results show that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention to decrease systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and to treat fatigue but not serum lipids. Therefore, blood cholesterol should be further evaluated with a larger group of participants and for a longer period. Further research is necessary to evaluate and to compare effects of self-foot reflexology and foot reflexology.