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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07339293

The Effect of Constipation Insoles on the Management of Constipation

Constipation is a common symptom among patients receiving palliative care and significantly affects their quality of life. Effective management of constipation requires both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. Reflexology has been increasingly used as a complementary method for constipation management; however, factors such as the need for a trained reflexology specialist, time limitations, and financial constraints may limit patients' access to this intervention. To overcome these barriers, a constipation insole based on reflexology principles has been developed, which can be easily used by patients either at home or in clinical settings.

This study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a constipation insole in the management of constipation in patients receiving palliative care. During the first week of the study, no intervention was applied in order to assess participants' baseline bowel habits. Starting from the second week, patients in the experimental group were instructed to walk with the constipation insole for 20 minutes per day for a total of four weeks. Patients in the control group were instructed to walk for 20 minutes per day for the same duration, without using the insole.

At baseline, data were collected using the Patient Identification Form and the General Comfort Scale. Throughout the study period, bowel function and constipation-related outcomes were monitored using standardized measurement tools. The Constipation Assessment Scale was planned to be administered every three days, the Constipation Severity Scale daily, and the Bristol Stool Consistency Scale at each defecation. The General Comfort Scale was planned to be re-administered on the 28th day of the intervention period.

The findings obtained from this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the potential role of constipation insoles as a complementary intervention in constipation management for patients in palliative care.

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Key information

Conditions

Palliative Care Constipation Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms, Digestive

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Istanbul Aydin University

Istanbul, 34295, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients who volunteer to participate in the study and are over 18 years of age,
  • Patients without any cognitive, mental, or verbal communication impairments,
  • Patients receiving palliative care,
  • Patients with constipation,
  • Patients with fewer than 3 bowel movements per week and/or at least one of the following constipation problems (straining during bowel movements, hard stools, feeling of incomplete emptying, gas/bloating, pressure/feeling of needing to defecate in the rectum).

Exclusion criteria

  • Individuals with peripheral neuropathy,
  • impaired foot skin integrity,
  • flat feet or any foot deformity,
  • and those using complementary treatments such as abdominal massage, acupressure, or acupuncture to relieve constipation were excluded from the study.

Treatment and study plan

constipation insole

Behavioral

Patients in the experimental group were instructed to walk with the constipation insole for 20 minutes a day for four weeks, starting from the second week

WALK

Behavioral

Patients in the control group were only instructed to walk for 20 minutes a day for four weeks

Primary outcomes

  1. Constipation Severity Scale

    Time frame: First week

    The Large Bowel Syndrome (LBS) consists of 16 questions in total and was developed to determine the frequency, intensity, and difficulty during defecation. The LBS comprises three sub-dimensions: "large bowel sluggishness," "fecal obstruction," and "pain." The highest possible score on the scale is 73. Scores for fecal obstruction range from 0-28, for large bowel sluggishness from 0-29, and for pain from 0-16.

  2. Constipation Severity Scale

    Time frame: second week

    The Large Bowel Syndrome (LBS) consists of 16 questions in total and was developed to determine the frequency, intensity, and difficulty during defecation. The LBS comprises three sub-dimensions: "large bowel sluggishness," "fecal obstruction," and "pain." The highest possible score on the scale is 73. Scores for fecal obstruction range from 0-28, for large bowel sluggishness from 0-29, and for pain from 0-16.

  3. Constipation Severity Scale

    Time frame: third week

    The Large Bowel Syndrome (LBS) consists of 16 questions in total and was developed to determine the frequency, intensity, and difficulty during defecation. The LBS comprises three sub-dimensions: "large bowel sluggishness," "fecal obstruction," and "pain." The highest possible score on the scale is 73. Scores for fecal obstruction range from 0-28, for large bowel sluggishness from 0-29, and for pain from 0-16.

  4. Constipation Severity Scale

    Time frame: fifth week

    The Large Bowel Syndrome (LBS) consists of 16 questions in total and was developed to determine the frequency, intensity, and difficulty during defecation. The LBS comprises three sub-dimensions: "large bowel sluggishness," "fecal obstruction," and "pain." The highest possible score on the scale is 73. Scores for fecal obstruction range from 0-28, for large bowel sluggishness from 0-29, and for pain from 0-16.

  5. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  6. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: third day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  7. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: sixth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  8. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: ninth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  9. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: twelfth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  10. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: fifteenth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  11. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: eighteenth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  12. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: twenty-first day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  13. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: twenty-fourth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  14. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: twenty-seventh day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  15. Constipation Assessment Scale

    Time frame: thirtieth day

    This is a scale consisting of 8 items in total, which inquires about abdominal bloating, gas, bowel sounds, fecal incontinence, feeling of fullness/pressure in the rectum, pain during defecation, small or lumpy stools, and the presence of an urgent need to defecate but inability to do so.

  16. Overall Comfort Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    It is a scale developed to assess an individual's need for comfort. In the evaluation of the scale, negatively worded items are reverse-coded and summed together with the positively worded items. The highest possible total score on the scale is 192, while the lowest possible total score is 48. The total score obtained is divided by the number of items on the scale to calculate the mean score, which is expressed on a scale ranging from 1 to 4. A score of 1 indicates low comfort, whereas a score of 4 indicates high comfort.

  17. Overall Comfort Scale

    Time frame: thirty-fifth day

    It is a scale developed to assess an individual's need for comfort. In the evaluation of the scale, negatively worded items are reverse-coded and summed together with the positively worded items. The highest possible total score on the scale is 192, while the lowest possible total score is 48. The total score obtained is divided by the number of items on the scale to calculate the mean score, which is expressed on a scale ranging from 1 to 4. A score of 1 indicates low comfort, whereas a score of 4 indicates high comfort.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Istanbul Aydın University

Other

Collaborators

  • The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

Registry information

Official study title

Constipation Insoles

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Jan 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Jan 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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