Reiki & Mindfulness for Chronic Knee Pain
Complementary therapies for chronic knee pain: A placebo-controlled RCT of Reiki and mindfulness
Can Reiki or mindfulness meditation reduce pain and improve daily life for adults with knee arthritis?
Key Findings: Both Reiki and mindfulness significantly lowered knee pain and improved physical function. More than half (55%) of the participants experienced a major reduction in symptoms—30% or more—after just two hours of treatment.
Design: A high-quality randomized control trial with 164 adults randomized to four groups.
- Intervention Groups: Participants were randomly placed into one of four groups: Reiki, a "fake" Reiki placebo (Feiki), mindfulness training, or a waitlist group.
- Dosage: Four weekly 30-minute sessions over one month.
Subjects: n= 164 adults with physician-confirmed knee osteoarthritis.
Biofield / Energy Healing Intervention: Reiki - a Japanese therapy based on the principle that energy can be influenced through a practitioner's hands to stimulate a client's natural healing response.
Results:
- Overall Results: Both mindfulness and Reiki were highly effective, with Reiki providing an average 32% reduction in pain and mindfulness achieving a 38% reduction. These improvements are comparable to results typically seen with standard medications like ibuprofen or opioids, but were achieved without the risk of side effects.
- Primary Outcome Results: Reiki and mindfulness significantly outperformed the waitlist; while "fake" Reiki provided some temporary relief, only the authentic Reiki group saw sustained, long-term improvements.
- Secondary Outcome Results: The pain relief from Reiki lasted for weeks after the final session, proving it to be a durable, drug-free option for chronic pain management.
Discussion:
- Reiki is safe, easy to access, and participants found the treatment highly credible.
- The pain relief from Reiki was comparable to taking standard medications like ibuprofen or receiving physical therapy, but without the side effects.
- Unlike medications that wear off in hours, the benefits of Reiki lasted for weeks after the final session.
Conclusion: Reiki and mindfulness are effective, drug-free options for managing chronic knee pain. These findings suggest Reiki is a viable alternative for those seeking relief from arthritis symptoms.
Link to Publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103278
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