15th March 2004

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With complementary therapy a fast-growing element in healthcare, University of Ulster researchers are set to find out if reflexology eases the pain of multiple sclerosis (MS).

“We’re delighted that our research team here at University of Ulster has been chosen by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in the U.S. to carry out this important project,” said senior research fellow Dr Andrea Lowe-Strong.

“It’s a recognition at international level of the quality and value of our work here at the School of Rehabilitation Sciences.”

In recent years the team has conducted research into low back pain, bladder dysfunction and the importance of Vitamin D in MS treatment.

“We need to establish in depth the clinical benefits of reflexology for people with MS,” said Dr Lowe-Strong.

“In the future we want to expand our studies into the effectiveness of reflexology on different conditions,” said her partner in the research project, Dr Ciara Hughes, a lecturer in clinical physiology at the Jordanstown campus.

Over the next 18 months the team will measure the effect of reflexology on 100 MS patients across Northern Ireland, recording the impact of precision body treatments including foot massage and other techniques.

The results of the U.S-grant aided project are likely to boost significantly international research data on the therapy’s impact on reducing MS pain.

The project, thought to be the first of its kind to be conducted by a university in Ireland, will also determine the benefit of reflexology in reducing spasm and in improving patients’ quality of life.

“There will be a controlled clinical trial in which people with MS will receive treatment for 10 weeks, and the changes in pain, spasticity and quality of life will be measured in the short and longer terms,” Dr Lowe-Strong said.

The researchers intend to recruit a fully qualified reflexologist soon to join them on the team.

The use of complementary and alternative therapies in a range of medical conditions is on the increase, with one in five people in the UK reported to have availed of them. However, scientific evidence of their effectiveness is limited.

“Reflexology has been shown to be effective in reducing a number of different symptoms including chronic pain and headache and improving general well-being. However, previous studies were quite small, and so no definite conclusions can be drawn.

“By undertaking a large scale trial, we will be able to determine whether reflexology is indeed effective for the symptoms associated with MS. This in turn will add to the body of knowledge about the question and will help people with MS to decide whether to use the therapy,” Dr Lowe-Strong said.

Welcoming the development, Robert McConnell, Community Support Officer for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Northern Ireland said “It is considered that approximately 3500 people in Northern Ireland have MS. Some of our members already attend reflexology sessions and consider it to be extremely beneficial for their general well-being. The Society welcomes the introduction of this research and following a previous announcement regarding the study, we have already been contacted by people with MS who wish to have further information”.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk