Reflexology
Reflexology is a well-established alternative and complimentary therapy. It is a focused pressure technique, usually directed at the feet. It is based on the premise that there are zones and reflexes on different parts of the feet which correspond to and are relative to all parts, glands and organs of the entire body. When the reflexes are stimulated, the body's natural electrical energy works along the nervous system and through the fascia to clear any blockages in the corresponding zones.
What Should you Expect During a Reflexology Session?
Before a session, expect to review your medical history and concerns, setting goals for your treatment plan for your session(s). A Reflexology Treatment is performed either seated or lying comfortably, clothed except for your shoes and socks removed. Your feet are cleaned and inspected at the start of each session.
The reflexologist gently warms up your feet with gentle movements of their hands, then works the reflexes of the entire foot, one foot at a time. Extra attention is given to the reflexes which correspond to the issues discussed with you as the trouble spots or areas of focus for the session.
The reflexologist regularly checks with you regarding the amount of pressure used to assure that the treatment is provided within the pain tolerance threshold of your body on that particular day. A treatment does not need to be painful to be effective. Good communication between you and the reflexologist assures that tender reflexes are identified and given extra attention, not harder pressure; this assures the effectiveness of the treatment. Reflexology clients typically find the treatment to be deeply relaxing and many fall asleep.
What are the Benefits of Reflexology?
Reflexology demonstrates four main benefits:
Relaxation with the removal of stress
Enhanced circulation
Assists the body to normalize metabolism naturally
Complements all other healing modalities
More on Reflexology
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The following are circumstances where reflexology therapists should make sure that the client has checked in with their primary healthcare provider before proceeding:
-A client who has recently suffered a cardiovascular incident, including stroke, or intervention.
-Gangrene on the body part being worked on.
-Swelling or inflammation on the body part being worked on.
-Clients with herpes simplex virus-2, shingles, or actively being treated for cancer.
-Client is undergoing any treatment or medical program where detoxing of the body could affect that treatment or program – for example: active chemotherapy, IVF, antidepressants, etc.
-Unknown skin rash or condition on the feet.
-Pain in the body of unknown origin.
-Infectious conditions (body part dependent).
-Acute injury of the foot (i.e., broken bones, lacerations, or damaged tissue).
-Painful skin conditions on the feet such as blisters or severe eczema or psoriasis.
-Contagious skin conditions such as scabies, chicken pox, or athlete's foot.
-Diabetic neuropathy affecting the feet.
-Pregnant women benefit from reflexology but should check in with their healthcare provider before receiving treatment.
For the above conditions, once the client has checked in with their primary healthcare provider and received the go-ahead for foot reflexology, the reflexologist may proceed to treat the client while keeping any restrictions of the healthcare provider in mind.
Reflexology compliments and supports other medical treatments within the above guidelines.
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The earliest evidence of reflexology dates back to 2330 BC, when it was recorded as a pictograph on the Egyptian tomb of Ankhamor (a physician of high esteem) at Saqqara. Evidence suggests in the ancient Egyptian papyrus that reflexology may have been used as it illustrates medical ancient Egyptian practitioners performing hand and foot treatments to patients.
Reflexology symbols are thought to be recorded on the feet of statues of Buddha in India and later China. In China, the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, which was written around 1,000 BC, has a chapter on "Examining Foot Method" and is the beginning of discussions in print about the connection of life force and points and areas on the feet.
The North American tribes of Indians are known to have practiced a form of foot therapy for hundreds of years.
It is believed that Marco Polo translated a Chinese massage book into Italian in the 1300s, thus introducing reflexology and massage to Europe. In 1582, a book on an integral element of reflexology called zone therapy was first published in Europe by Dr. Adamus and Dr. A'tatis.
In the United States, William H. Fitzgerald, MD, who is frequently referred to as the father of reflexology, wrote in 1917 about ten vertical zones that extended the length of the body. He found that the application of pressure to a zone that corresponded to the location of an injury could serve as relief of pain during minor surgeries.
Dr. Fitzgerald's work was expanded by Dr. Shelby Riley, who developed a map of horizontal zones going across the body and a detailed map of reflex points on the feet and hands. He also suggested pressure points on the outer ear.
Eunice Ingham, a physiotherapist who worked for Dr. Riley, is another prominent figure in the development of reflexology. In her research with zone therapy's pressure points, she found the feet to be the most sensitive and responsive. She developed the foot maps and reflexology charts still in use today and introduced reflexology practices to the non-medical community in the 1930s. Her nephew, Dwight Byers, continued her work and brought the practice of Reflexology into the modern era.
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A systematic review(1) published in 2015 in the Journal of Traditional and Complimentary Medicine, reviewing the research published over the preceding ten years in PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and SpringerLink databases, found that due to its non-invasive, non-pharmacological complementary nature, Reflexology is widely accepted and evidence of the positive effect of reflexology in a variety of health conditions is available.
It was found that Reflexology improves health and physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The treatment is free from any drugs and chemical, and it is helpful for many health problems. Reflexology promotes healing from injuries, and reduces pain and inflammation by stimulating the release of the body’s own pain-relieving hormones. It promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety and feelings of stress. It improves dexterity and the ability to move freely.
Another 2015 review(2) published in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Therapies, found that Reflexology is increasingly recognized and used as a complimentary therapy to help people feel better in community, academic and clinical settings. The use of Reflexology promotes symptom relief from stress, anxiety and pain. Breast cancer patients reported significant benefits for symptom management and improved physical functioning. There were beneficial effects for mental health, including anxiety, depression, motivation and other symptoms of stress. Reflexology was shown to improve blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability, cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and lymphocyte (immune system) production.
A 2020 meta-analysis(3) of randomized controlled trials published in the Journal of Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that Reflexology significantly improved depression, anxiety and sleep quality.
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A randomized controlled trial(4), published in 2021 in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine, found that post-menopausal women benefited after the application of Reflexology as sleep quality increased and fatigue decreased.
Another randomized controlled trial study(5) published in 2011 in the Journal of Midwifery, found that post-partum women suffering from insomnia experienced significantly improved sleep after receiving Reflexology.
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A randomized controlled trial(6) published in 2018 in the Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, found that men undergoing coronary artery bypass graft who were given Reflexology had significant improvement to their level of anxiety, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation levels. This resulted in faster healing times and improved quality of life.
A 2022 meta-analysis(7) of randomized controlled trials published in the Journal of Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that people experiencing a variety of health conditions had significant improvement to their systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation levels.
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A 2000 review and clinical study(8) found that Reflexology reduced the frequency, duration and intensity of migraine headache pain.
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A clinical study(9) published in 2018 in the Journal of Pediatrics and Neonatology, found that children with cerebral palsy who were given Reflexology experienced improved motor function and reduced constipation. This improved the quality of life.
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A randomized controlled trial study(10) published in 2012 in the Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, found that subjects who were given Reflexology to the heart reflex on their feet experienced significantly improved blood supply to their heart. This strongly supports that Reflexology is effective in improving blood supply to the organs by stimulating the corresponding reflex on the feet.
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Embong NH, Soh YC, Ming LC, Wong TW. Revisiting reflexology: Concept, evidence, current practice, and practitioner training. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine. 2015 Oct 1;5(4):197-206. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2015.08.008
Hart J. Reflexology: Emerging Evidence Points to Health Benefits. Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 2015 Jun 1;21(3):121-3. DOI: 10.1089/act.2015.29000.jh
Wang WL, Hung HY, Chen YR, Chen KH, Yang SN, Chu CM, Chan YY. Effect of Foot Reflexology Intervention on Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in Adults: A Meta-Analysis and Metaregression of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2020 Sep; 2654353. DOI: 10.1155/2020/2654353
Aydin LZ, Yigitalp G. The effect of reflexology on sleep quality and fatigue in postmenopausal women: A randomized control trial. European Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2021 April; 43: 101281. DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101281
Li CY, Chen SC, Li CY, Gau ML, Huang CM. Randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of using foot reflexology to improve quality of sleep amongst Taiwanese postpartum women. Midwifery. 2011 April; 27: (2) 181-186. DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2009.04.005
Abbaszadeh Y, Allahbakhshian A, Seyyedrasooli A, Sarbakhsh P, Goljarian S, Safaei N. Effects of foot reflexology on anxiety and physiological parameters in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2018 May; 31: 220-228. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.02.018
Jing Y, Liu S, Pan C, Jian Y, Wang M, Ni B. The Effects of Foot Reflexology on Vital Signs: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2022 Sep 13; 2022: 4182420. DOI: 10.1155/2022/4182420
Testa GW. A Study of the Effects of Reflexology on Migraine Headaches. Dissertation. 2000. https://gtesta.tripod.com/Dissertationall.htm
Elbasan B, Bezgin S. The effects of reflexology on constipation and motor functions in children with cerebral palsy. Journal of Pediatrics & Neonatology. 2018 February; 59: 42-47. DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2017.01.005
Jones J, Thomson P, Lauder W, Howie K, Leslie SJ. Reflexology has an acute (immediate) haemodynamic effect in healthy volunteers: A double-blind randomised controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2012 November; 18: (4) 204-211. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.03.006
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View these links to learn how your unique condition can be supported with Reflexology.