A randomized, controlled trial with cross-over design in which the subjects (23 patients with an oncological disease, 13 healthy controls) receive warm water footbaths with added ginger (experimental) or mustard powder (experimental) or without additives (active comparator). The wash-out period between two consecutive footbath interventions is at least one day. Outcome measures are assessed right before (t1), right after (t2) and 10 minutes following the footbath (t3). The main focus is on the change in subjective perception of warmth distribution between t1 and t3. Moreover, the objective skin temperature distribution and psychosocial scores are assessed. The primary outcome measure is analyzed with a linear mixed effects model (after checking for carry-over effects). Secondary outcome measures are described descriptively.
A randomized, controlled, three-arm trial to investigate the effects of warm water footbaths with and without the addition of ginger or mustard powder on psychosocial parameters in patients with an oncological disease and in healthy controls.