An adjustable foot wrap caused to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS) is 1.4 times more effective than the standard pharmaceutical treatment, report authors from Lake Erie Research Institute in Pennsylvania. The pilot study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
The eight-week clinical trial involved 30 otherwise healthy adults with moderate to severe RLS. Researchers studied Clinical Global Impression responses as well as the mean change in the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group Study Scale (IRLSSGS). A meta-analysis was then used to compare the RLS device with three historic studies of the medication ropinirole and a placebo.
Clinical Global Impression responses indicated significantly greater improvement with the RLS device (90%) compared with ropinirole (63%), the current standard dopamine therapy for RLS. Additionally, change in IRLSSGS score was significantly greater for the RLS device (17.22) compared to historic reports for ropinirole versus the placebo (12 versus 8.9 respectively). Patients using the RLS device also reported an 82% decrease in sleep loss.
The RLS device was designed to put adjustable targeted pressure on two muscles in the foot known to relax symptoms of RLS, the abductor hallucis and the flexor hallucis brevis. Researchers indicate that the pressure produced by the device may also stimulate a dopamine release, similar to massage therapy or acupressure.
“By putting pressure on specific muscles in the feet, we are able to create a response in the brain that relaxes the muscles activated during RLS,” says Phyllis Kuhn, MS, PhD, and the study’s lead researcher, in a release. “It’s a near perfect example of the body regulating itself without drugs, many of which have the potential for significant adverse side effects.”
Drugs including opioids, depressants, and dopamine agonists are used to ease RLS symptoms, but each of these is accompanied by negative side effects such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and the added risk of addiction.
“Restless legs syndrome really erodes quality of life because it causes extreme fatigue for many patients. As an osteopathic physician, it’s a challenge to balance the need to restore sleep while preventing additional harm from medication. These results show promise in otherwise healthy individuals for a nonpharmaceutical option that appears to have rather minor, temporary adverse effects for some users,” says Rob Danoff, DO, an osteopathic family physician and program at Aria Health Care in Philadelphia.
Adverse effects were reported by seven patients in the study. The effects included pain (1), pins and needles sensation (2), irritability (3), spasm (1), and warm feet (1).
are these foot wraps for RLS on sale yet? THANK YOU
They’re available in the US And coming to UK very soon I believe!
What are they called so I can look them up? thx
Are these wraps on sale yet, and if so, where can I obtain a set?
I would be interested in being a guineau pig if you need more people to try them out.
Where can we find out when they are available for the UK?
Have you done any long-term studies yet. I have tried a variety of ways to minimise my RLS without using drugs including: cooling thighs, exercise, laying on my front, massage. The most effective is the electric healer/cooler that I use at night to cool my legs. It works all night, but when I switch it off, or set it for the wrong temperature it ceases to work. I use it every night in conjunction with medication. The problem I have is if I travel anywhere as I need to get permission to use it in the new accommodation, and I can’t use it when travelling on a plane.
There are loads of people worse off than me, we could really do with some help.
I’ve looked to find them to buy but cannot find. Could you please supply a website?
It is the “restiffic” compressive foot wrap by medi USA.
I cannot seem to find where I can get the RLS foot wrap. I get restless day and night Id be willing to participate in any studies. I live very close to Philadelphia.