Effect of Reflexology on Diabetic Foot and Glycemic Control in Elderly Diabetic Individuals

Background: Glycemic control can be difficult in the elderly with diabetes.Diabetic foot problems characterized by vascular and neuropathy are serious complications. The effectiveness of reflexology has been demonstrated to achieve glycemic control and manage diabetic foot problems. Objectives: To determine the effect of foot reflexology on ankle brachial index (ABI), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and glycemic control in elderly diabetic individuals. Design: A randomized clinical trial. Settings: An outpatient elderly health center in Turkey. Participants: 48 individuals aged 65 and over enrolled in the elderly health center were included. Methods: The elderly were randomized into two groups (study, n=24; control,n=24). Foot reflexology was performed for 12 week in the study group, whereas the control group continued their routine treatment and follow-up. Both groups underwent a comprehensive foot examination for evaluating ABI and DPN at baseline and after 12 weeks; furthermore, glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin-HbA1c) was evaluated. An independent two-sample t-test was performed for pre- and post-test between-group comparisons; an effect size analysis was performed to determine the effect of intervention.