Published Reflexology Research

Diabetes

Study 1-
32 cases of type II diabetes mellitus were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group was treated with conventional Western Medicine hypoglycemic agent and reflexology, the other group with the same medicine only (WM).

After daily treatments over 30 days, fasting blood glucose levels, platelet aggregation, length and wet weight of the thrombus, senility symptom scores and serum lipid peroxide (LPO) were greatly reduced in the reflexology group (P,0.05-0.01), while no significant change was observed in the WM group.

The study suggested that reflexology was an effective treatment for type II diabetes mellitis.

(Wang, X. M., "Type II diabetes mellitus with foot reflexotherapy," Chuang Koh Chuang Hsi I Chief Ho Teas Chi, Beijing , Vol. 13, Sept. 1993, pp 536-538)

Study 2-
22 cases with non-insulin dependent diabetes were split into 2 groups. The patients of both groups had taken hypoglycemic agents for a long time. Reflexology was provided daily for 30 days.

Results: the indexes of the scores of senility, thrombocyte aggregation rates (TAR), the length and wet weights of thrombosis in vitro, and the serum oxidative lipids were measured to judge curative effect.

The reflexology group showed a "marked improvement" with a 66.7% "effective rate" in the measured indices. It is termed a "satisfactory curative effect." The non-reflexology showed no significant change with a 20% "effective rate".

(Zhi-qin, Duan et. al., "Foot Reflexology Therapy Applied On Patients with NIDDM (non-insulin dependent diabetic mellitus)," 1993 China Reflexology Symposium, p.24)

Study 3-
The blood flow rate was tested by colour Doppler ultrasonic examination before and after foot reflexology for a treatment group of 20 individuals with Type II diabetes and a control group of 15 individuals with no Type II diabetes and no diseases affecting arterial blood flow in the lower limbs.

Results: There were significant differences in the blood flow rate to the feet of Type II diabetes individuals before and after application of technique. The blood flow rate of diabetic individuals was lower than those in the control group.

(Ying Ma, "Clinical Observation on Influence upon Arterial Blood Flow in the Lower Limbs of 20 Cases with Type II Diabetes Mellitus Treated by Foot Reflexology" 1998 China Reflexology Symposium Report, China Reflexology Association, Beijing, pp97-99)