Reflexology is classified as a bodywork modality in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). It is practiced around the world and there are dozens of styles and techniques employed. A Reflexologist is someone who is specially trained in Reflexology.
Reflexology Charts
A Reflexologist observes the feet, hands and ears as microcosms of the body – miniature reflections of the body’s organs, gland and parts are reflected on these extremities. These maps are an identical mirror of the body and run in accordance with the anatomical layout.
On the feet the body is portrayed starting with the toes representing reflexes for the head, the ball of the foot represents the chest, the arch representing the torso and the heel representing the pelvis. The map of the hand is similarly arranged: the fingers reflect the head and neck, the ball of the hand reflects the chest, the middle of the palm represents the torso and the heel of the hand represents the pelvis. The ear map is inverted: the lobe represents the head, the outer arch of the ear represents the spine, the top of the ear represents the tailbone, the inner valleys of the ear represent the torso.
Reflexology’s History
It is considered that most ancient cultures had a form of foot therapy, and Reflexology’s history dates back nearly 5,000 years.
The rediscovery of modern Reflexology is credited to Dr. William Fitzgerald in the early 1900s. Eunice Ingham, a physiotherapist, developed the theories into a manual therapy. Ingham taught classes and gave demonstrations around the United States prompting a grassroots following in the 1930’s and on.
The Theory of Reflexology
Reflexology is based on theories of Zone Therapy, the Reflexive Arch and in some modalities Chinese Meridian Theory. The common tie is that the extremities contain reflex points that correspond to another part of the body. Stimulation of this point sends a message to create a response in that body part.
A recent study by the Japanese Tohoku University School of Medicine demonstrated the direct correlation between the reflexes of the feet and the response of the brain. For the purpose of the study they used a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan, or an fMRI, to observe the brain’s response to Reflexology stimulation. They chose to stimulate three reflex points: the eye reflex, the shoulder reflex and the small intestine reflex. The fMRI scans showed that the brain not only responded to a detection of stimulation on the foot, it also showed somatosensory areas for the eye, shoulder and small intestine. [Somatotopical relationships between cortical activity and reflex areas in reflexology: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study, published in Neuroscience Letters, 2008 Dec 19;448(1):6-9. Epub 2008 Oct 14., PMID 18938220].
Amy Kreydin - Amy Kreydin, NBCRT, CCAP, BD is a Board Certified Reflexologist and Clinical Aromatherapist.
Join the Conversation