Complementary therapies for chronic knee pain: A placebo-controlled RCT of Reiki and mindfulness.
Published: 2025 Dec · Modality: Reiki · Participants: 164
Study summary
164 patients with knee osteoarthritis symptom severity, assessed using the WOMAC at baseline, 1-month, and 2-month follow-ups, significantly improved in both the Reiki (p = .02) and mindfulnes, and not in placebo, or sham reiki group.
What the study actually found
These findings indicate that both Reiki and mindfulness may offer effective, well-tolerated, and time-efficient alternatives for managing KOA-related pain, with meaningful symptom improvement after just two hours of intervention. Larger trials are warranted to confirm efficacy and explore long-term outcomes and underlying mechanisms.