Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is the umbrella term that describes pain anywhere between your belly button and your pubic bone and sometimes in your thighs, during and after pregnancy.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
PGP is a musculoskeletal condition that affects 20 per cent of pregnant women. More specifically, 14-22 per cent of all pregnant women have serious PGP with 5-8 per cent of these having problems with severe pain and disability.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Reflexology is used for various pregnancy related complaints. A three-armed, pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted to test changes in physiological and biochemical stress parameters. Ninety primiparous volunteers experiencing low back and/or pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP) were recruited to receive either six reflexology or footbath treatments or usual care.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Primary outcome data included pain intensity and frequency measured on a visual analog scale (VAS), and salivary beta-endorphin (pain relievers) and cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
61 (68%) women completed the intervention.
• A clinically important reduction of 1.63 cm occurred for VAS pain frequency following reflexology
• Beta-endorphin levels decreased by 15.18% for the reflexology group as opposed to increasing by 8.8% and 10.10% in the footbath and usual care groups respectively.
• Cortisol increased by 18.82% in the reflexology group as opposed to 31.78% for footbath participants, 31.42% in usual care.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Layman’s terms: pain down, pain relievers up, stress hormone lower
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Reflexology during pregnancy may help reduce LBPGP, and associated stress. However, antenatal reflexology is under researched and requires further investigation.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Sources: pubmed 29705485 & netdoctor(dot)co(dot)uk
REFLEXOLOGY FOR LOWER BACK AND PELVIC GIRDLE PAIN IN PREGNANCY: (a scientific study)
