Background: Restless leg syndrome is an ordinary complaint among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Reflexology is a nursing intervention that can reduce the restless leg syndrome. This study aimed at investigating the effect of foot reflexology on the severity of restless leg syndrome in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with a before-and-after design was conducted in hemodialysis patients attending a hospital in an urban area of Iran in 2016. Using a random sampling method, 72 female patients were divided into the experimental and placebo groups (n = 36 in each group). The patients in the experimental group received foot reflexology. In the placebo group, simple foot reflexology without pressing certain parts of the foot was conducted. The restless leg syndrome questionnaire was used to measure the severity of restless leg syndrome before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v. 21 software. Results: After the intervention, the score of restless leg syndrome in the experimental group reduced compared to the placebo group (P = 0.02), while the group score of restless leg syndrome showed no statistically significant difference between the experimental and placebo groups (P = 0.84). Conclusions: Foot reflexology can be used as a safe and non-pharmacologic nursing intervention in reducing the restless leg syndrome among female patients undergoing hemodialysis.

This study aimed to compare the effects of reflexology and aromatherapy massage on the severity of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in 105 female patients undergoing hemodialysis. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in a hemodialysis center with 48 beds in a high turnover hospital in an urban area of Iran. Intervention groups received reflexology (n = 35) and aromatherapy massage using lavender essential oil (n = 35) for 24 sessions, and the placebo group (n = 35) received simple foot massage. The restless legs syndrome rating scale was used to assess RLS severity in the groups before the intervention and after 4 and 8 weeks of the interventions. Results obtained by the mixed model analysis 3 * 3 (3 groups * 3 times) revealed the significant effect of time, group, and the time–group interrelationship (p = 0.001). Aromatherapy massage reduced the RLS severity, but reflexology did not appear to cause any significant reduction in it. Therefore, we suggest that aromatherapy massage be incorporated into routine care for relieving the ailment and suffering of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

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