OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility of delivering reflexology to people moderately to severely affected by multiple sclerosis and to investigate the effect on a range of symptoms. METHODS: A pilot single-blind randomized placebo controlled trial. SETTING: An outpatient multiple sclerosis rehabilitation centre. SUBJECTS: Twenty people moderately to severely affected by multiple sclerosis were randomized into one of two groups receiving either reflexology or sham reflexology. INTERVENTION: Each participant received 8 weeks, 1 hour per week of either reflexology or sham reflexology. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcome measure was the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS29). Secondary measures assessed a range of symptoms at baseline, 8 weeks and 16 weeks. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups at either 8 (p = 0.538) or 16 (p = 0.112) weeks for the primary outcome measure; however, both groups demonstrated small improvements from 92.3 (SD 20.9) to 75.6 (SD 3.3) with reflexology, and 91.3 (SD 29.9) to 81.5 (+/- 18.5) with sham reflexology group after 8 weeks of treatment. Small improvements were noted in most of the secondary outcome measures at 8 weeks. There was no difference between the groups at 8 weeks except for bladder function (p = 0.003) and most scores returned to baseline at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The results do not support the use of reflexology for symptom relief in a more disabled multiple sclerosis population and are strongly suggestive of a placebo response. This study demonstrates, however, that reflexology can be delivered and is well tolerated by people who are moderately to severely affected by multiple sclerosis.

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