Home-based acupressure for managing constipation and subjective well-being in spinal cord injury survivors: A randomized controlled trial.
10.1016/j.joim.2025.08.001
- Author:
Meng-Qi LI
1
;
Yan LI
2
;
Winsome LAM
1
;
Wing Fai YEUNG
1
;
Yuen Shan HO
1
;
Jia-Ying LI
1
;
Tsz Ching SUN
1
;
Sam YUEN
3
;
Yu-le HU
1
;
Jannelle YORKE
1
Author Information
1. School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 999077, China.
2. School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 999077, China. Electronic address: yan-nursing.li@polyu.edu.hk.
3. School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 999077, China.
- Publication Type:Randomized Controlled Trial
- Keywords:
Acupressure;
Constipation;
Psychological health;
Quality of life;
Spinal cord injury;
Subjective well-being
- MeSH:
Humans;
Acupressure/methods*;
Constipation/psychology*;
Male;
Female;
Spinal Cord Injuries/complications*;
Middle Aged;
Adult;
Quality of Life;
Aged
- From:
Journal of Integrative Medicine
2025;23(6):660-669
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:Spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors often experience constipation, which contributes to a reduced sense of well-being and a lower quality of life. Acupressure offers a non-pharmacological and non-invasive alternative therapy for treating constipation.
OBJECTIVE:This study examined the effects of home-based acupressure on constipation and subjective well-being among SCI survivors.
DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS:This randomized controlled trial randomly assigned 80 adults from Hong Kong with SCI to two study groups. Using a video demonstration filmed by a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, the intervention group performed home-based acupressure (self-administered or caregiver-assisted) twice daily, 15 min/session, for 10 consecutive days. The control group performed manual light touching of the abdomen with the same frequency and duration as the intervention group. Both groups received defecation education through a structured booklet.
MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES:The primary outcome was constipation severity. Secondary outcomes included bowel habits, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Focus group interviews were conducted after the intervention to collect subjective feedback from participants.
RESULTS:Significant group-by-time interaction effects on constipation severity (P = 0.005) and quality of life (P = 0.001) revealed that home-based acupressure produced better results than the control. These treatment effects persisted at the one-month follow-up and continued to have a large effect size (Cohen's d > 0.8). Compared to the control group, the acupressure group also had improvements in anxiety (Cohen's d = 0.69) and depression (Cohen's d = 0.72) at the end of the intervention period. Three qualitative categories were identified from the focus group interviews: improvements in bowel function and management; reduced psychological distress following relief from constipation; and acceptability of home-based acupressure.
CONCLUSION:Acupressure effectively relieves constipation, enhances psychological well-being, and improves quality of life in people with SCI. These data provide novel evidence supporting the use of home-based acupressure as an acceptable and effective therapy for treating constipation after SCI.
TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05558657). Please cite this article as: Li MQ, Li Y, Lam W, Yeung WF, Ho YS, Li JY, Sun TC, Yuen S, Hu YL, Yorke J. Home-based acupressure for managing constipation and subjective well-being in spinal cord injury survivors: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):660-669.
