Investigating the Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Reflexology on Balance and Sleep Quality in Geriatric Individuals

Abstract

"Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and reflexology can be effective in pain, balance and sleep problems in the elderly. Our study aimed to examine the effect of TENS and reflexology on balance and sleep quality in geriatric individuals. Materials and Method: 60 individuals with balance and sleep problems were included in our study and randomly divided into three groups: Reflexology (N=20), TENS (N=20) and control (N=20). All individuals were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Tinetti Balance Test (TBT) method pre-treatment and post-treatment. Results: It was observed that there was a significant increase in BBS in the reflexology group after the treatment compared to the pre-treatment, while a decrease in pain and an increase in sleep quality were observed in the TENS group post-treatment. While the decrease in the risk of falling was seen in all three groups, the improvement in the risk of falling was mostly seen in the reflexology group. There was no statistical difference between the groups post-treatment (p>0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that reflexology practice increased the balance and decreased the risk of falling. We think that reflexology application as an alternative treatment will reduce the symptoms."