The effect of foot reflexology with rheumatoid arthritis pain and sleep quality

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients mostly complain about pain and sleep deprivation. The main purpose of the treatment is to reduce the pain and inflammation, minimize joint damage, prevent disability, protect the patient's functions, heal the patient and improve their quality of life. This study was intended to examine the effect of foot reflexology on RA patients' pain and sleep quality. The required permissions were obtained from Gaziantep University's Ethics Committee for the research. The population of the research included patients at Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research and Practice Hospital and who had been diagnosed with RA for at least for 6 months. The sample group, on the other hand, included 60 patients from the specified population who were 18 years of age or older; resided in the city; took medication for RA; did not have lower extremity vascular diseases; did not have foot ulcers; did not have infections or surgical operations on their feet; did not have broken, sprained or injured bones in their lower extremities; were not pregnant; were not diagnosed with diabetes, and agreed to participate in the study. The patients were divided into experimental (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. In the first interview, both groups were administered survey forms including a sociodemographic data form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Foot reflexology was administered to the experimental group by a certified researcher who had been trained in it. The experimental group was administered 30-minutes of foot reflexology once a week for six weeks. Pain averages and sleep quality improvements were found in patients who underwent foot reflexology. There was also a significant positive difference between the sleep quality subscales. Keywords: Pain, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Foot Reflexology, Sleep Quality, Nursing