Comparison of the Effect of Reflexology and Swedish Massage on Restless Legs Syndrome and Sleep Quality in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Patients undergoing hemodialysis experience painful complications such as restless leg syndrome and poor sleep quality, which negatively affect their quality of life.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effect of reflexology and Swedish massage on restless leg syndrome and sleep quality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Method: This is a randomized clinical trial conducted on 90 patients undergoing hemodialysis. The two intervention groups received either foot reflexology (n = 30) or Swedish massage (n = 30) for four weeks. In the sham group (n = 30), a simple touch of the knee down was performed with the same conditions as the intervention groups. Each sample completed the International Restless Leg Syndrome and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaires before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention.

Result: The results showed that immediately after the intervention, restless leg syndrome and sleep quality were significantly better in the foot reflexology massage group than the Swedish massage and sham groups (P < 0.001, P < 0.001); also, changes in restless leg syndrome and sleep quality, respectively, before and one-month follow-up after the intervention were not significant in all three groups (P = 0.47, P = 0.95), (P = 0.91, P = 0.87).

Conclusion: Reflexology and Swedish massage, as complementary methods, can improve the restless leg syndrome and sleep quality of patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, foot reflexology massage had been more effective.