Self-acupressure for osteoarthritis self-management and nursing care outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of self-acupressure as a non-pharmacological intervention for improving pain, function, sleep, and quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), with a focus on its potential role in supporting patient self-management and nursing care.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials and clinical trials evaluating self-acupressure in patients with OA were searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from inception to October 2025. Data were pooled using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 18, with risk of bias assessed via the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and evidence quality evaluated using the GRADE approach.

Twenty-three studies involving 2639 participants were included. Low-to-moderate quality evidence showed that self-acupressure was associated with reductions in pain (VAS at week 1: SMD = -0.52, 95% CI [-1.00, -0.05], P = 0.03; WOMAC pain at week 4: SMD = -0.39, 95% CI [-0.69, -0.08], P = 0.01), improved sleep quality (PSQI at week 8: SMD = -0.86, 95% CI [-1.25, -0.46], P < 0.0001), and better health-related quality of life (SF-6D at week 8: SMD = 0.17, 95% CI [0.01, 0.32], P = 0.04). Reported adverse events were minor and transient, though systematic reporting was inconsistent across trials.

Self-acupressure appears to be a safe, feasible, and low-cost intervention that may help reduce pain, improve sleep, and support selected quality-of-life outcomes in patients with osteoarthritis. It has potential value as an adjunct to nursing-led self-management strategies for older adults with chronic joint pain. However, due to moderate heterogeneity, risk of bias concerns, and limited long-term data, high-quality trials with standardized protocols are needed before widespread implementation in geriatric nursing practice.