A BRIEF HISTORY OF REFLEXOLOGY

The practice of reflexology may have a long history stemming from the distant past. It seems in most ancient cultures there is a tradition of working on the feet to help the body balance itself. Generally ancient cultures have an oral tradition. However, some evidence of reflexology may be found in art work. For instance, in Egypt, in the physician's tomb (2300 B.C.) there can be found a pictograph which may be evidence of reflexology being applied. In Asia, several examples also have been cited. Modern Reflexology is based on the work of two American physicians, Dr. William Fitzgerald and Dr. Joe Shelby Riley of the 1920's and on that of physiotherapist Eunice D. Ingham who developed Fitzgerald and Riley's knowledge into a usable therapy, calling it Foot Reflexology and took it to the public in the late 1930's through the early 70's.

The scientific basis to Reflexology begins in the last century. In the 1890's knighted research scientist and medical doctor, Sir Henry Head demonstrated the neurological relationship that exists between the skin and the internal organs. Nobel prize winner, Sir Charles Sherrington proved that the whole nervous system and body adjusts to a stimulus when it is applied to any part of the body. Around the same time in Germany, Dr. Alfons Cornelius observed pressure to certain spots triggered muscle contractions, changes in Blood pressure, variation in warmth and moisture in the body as well as directly affecting the 'physic processes', or mental state of the patient. The Russians, beginning with Drs Ivan Pavlov and Vladimir Bekhterev, have also been exploring reflex responses in the body for nearly a century.

In the last 30 years, because of Eunice Inghams traveling around the country teaching groups of people her method of reflexology (the Ingham Method) a grassroots following of reflexology emerged in the US. In that time practicing reflexologists have emerged, more than 30 reflexology books have been published, and the number of magazine articles published has risen by 500 percent since 1982. Television appearances by reflexologists have increased by 500 percent since 1988.

Today recent research studies have been conducted around the world, including in the US, which are validating the effectiveness of Reflexology on a wide variety of conditions. Chronic conditions seem to respond especially well to Reflexology. In China, where reflexology is accepted by the central government as a means of preventing and curing diseases and preserving health, over 300 research studies have shown reflexology provided some improvement to 95% of the over 18,000 cases covering 64 illnesses studied. In Japan and Denmark, reflexology has been incorporated into the employee health programs of several large corporations saving each company thousands of dollars annually in paid out sick leave benefits.

Many of our health problems can be linked to stress. It is an acknowledged fact by the medical community that a body trying to function while under the influence of prolonged stress is less capable of organizing its defenses against illnesses and repair damage caused by injury. Stress can be either mentally, emotionally, physically, or environmentally induced. Reflexology is primarily a relaxation technique. Reflexology can negate the effects of stress while it helps the body relax. Through the relaxation process the body is more capable of dealing with the stresses placed on it by daily living and those associated with illness. Reflexology gently nudges the body towards better functioning by improving lymphatic drainage and venous circulation, simulation to the nerve pathways, and muscle relaxation.

While historically Reflexology has anecdotally been found to have a positive affect on the body suffering from a wide variety of chronic problems, it is not a panacea for all ills. Reflexology is not a substitute for medical treatment, but can be used as a complement to any type of medical approach or therapy. Reflexology can also be incorporated into an overall healthy lifestyle which includes attention to diet, moderate exercise, and different forms of stress reduction and relaxation.

The Benefits of Reflexology

The 1996 China Reflexology Symposium Report has found foot reflexology to be 93.63% effective in treating 63 disorders. After an analysis of 8,096 clinical cases, Dr. Wang Liang reported that reflexology was significantly effective (the cure) in 48.68% of all the cases, and an effective/improved treatment in 44.95% of the cases.

Another study, in Britain, had fifteen women receive half-hour reflexology sessions for eight weeks. The findings included noticable physical and emotional improvements, increased self-esteem and confidence, an ability to stay motivated and be heard and taken seriously, and an improvement in concentration.

Reflexology Contra-Indications??? - Anthony J. Porter, Director A.R.T. Training, London, England & Bobbi Warren, Regional Director, IIR, USA

A great deal of effort by various groups of people, many with little or no knowledge of reflexology, has gone into the subject of contra-indications. I have seen an entire page dedicated to a list of conditions where reflexology, supposedly, is contra-indicated. If they were to be believed, it would get to to the point where anyone who wishes to be worked on with reflexology would have to undergo an entire battery of medical examinations before being accepted as a client! Some of these so called contra-indications range from heart problems, cancer and so on. I have had students at my seminars who were surprised that I actually work on the heart reflexes. They had been told by other teachers or students that it could stop or damage the heart!

There are several questions that need to be asked, first, have the people who conceived these negative notions actually had the experience of a client's heart stopping during a session? Has a cancer actually spread or worsened, or have weakened kidneys stopped working? It would be an amazing physiological discovery if it were possible to stop the heart by pressing an area of the foot, (what a way to commit the perfect murder!) or if cancer were to spread or have weak kidneys deteriorate. It would mean that it would be dangerous for sick people to walk barefoot on uneven or pebbly ground, as it might bring about serious consequences to their health!

Students of reflexology are often told not to work on people who have cancer. Reflexology is just what a cancer sufferer needs; anyway, how is it possible to know if your client may be in the early stages of cancer? Many people may already have cancer but their immune system keeps things in check and they lead a perfectly normal life, in fact, many have cancer for years before it even shows up in tests!

I believe that it is always possible to work on clients regardless of their condition. The important points to remember are: The condition of your client; i.e. are they frail or do they have acute disease or foot conditions that prevent you from working on the feet? Have they just had surgery? What is important is to adapt the type of reflexology session to the condition of your client. For instance, before working on someone who has been very ill the following considerations should be made: (When in doubt always remember work lightly, often, less time!)

Recently I was told I could not work on someone who had just had plastic surgery because the doctor had been told (by a non-reflexologist, I found out later) that reflexology 'increased' circulation to the area and that would be harmful. Here we have a case of the wrong words being used. I have seen the words increased and improved used interchangeably and they do not mean the same thing. We have to remember that reflexology IMPROVES and facilitates what is already there. We cannot INCREASE what is already there (ie., circulation). It helps the body to work at it's optimum. Having worked on many who have had plastic surgery, it is amazing how quickly they heal. So watch your words in explaining reflexology - words are powerful.

They may not feel like having a session.

It should then be of a type that will aid general circulation and healing and provide comfort (in this case the session would not include much reflex work). Use mainly relaxation techniques.

They may have recently undergone surgery

Reflexology can bring increased resilience during the surgery if done before. If the client has been immobile for some time, it should be introduced gradually to invigorate the body. Reflexology after the surgery is very important as it could help to prevent adhesions forming and aid the healing process.

If you are not sure about conditions and symptoms that clients present, always err towards caution and refer them to their medical practitioner. For instance, someone may come in with chest or abdominal pain, or perhaps a constant headache, which they have not discussed with their doctor.

Like any other health-care professional we have a responsibility to our clients. I am not in any way advocating an irresponsible or careless approach to your work. Of course conditions such as swellings of the calf or leg need immediate specialist referral. Also ulceration's, phlebitis or thrombosis of the lower leg would denote caution on the part of the therapist. These would of course need medical attention, but even in these cases reflexology can be adapted or working on the hands would be possible.

It is thought that what many practitioners call contra-indications are their experience of a healing crisis by their client. To understand this more fully it would be easier if the therapist had knowledge of natural therapeutics. Briefly though the object of all true natural healing is to assist the body to eliminate waste and poisonous matter. When the vitality has been raised to sufficient strength the body will create conditions necessary to throw off this morbid material. This often manifests in headaches, colds, flu, diarrhea etc. The term for this reaction is a 'healing crisis'.

When a client has a 'healing crisis' it means that the vitality of the body has been increased by the sessions, subsequently creating detoxification, which is the only true path to restoring health. No matter what field of natural medicine is used, the body will only be able to create the necessary conditions to bring about a healing crisis if it has enough available vitality. Important point: It should not be interpreted that because a client has no or very few painful reflexes on the feet that they are in good health. On the contrary, it can mean that they do have health problems but because their vitality is low it causes the reflexes to be dull or seemingly non-existent. To create a painful reflex the body needs to have vitality, or at least the organ or gland has to.

Many of you will experience clients who will present you with feet where the reflexes are dull and almost non-evident, and after a few sessions, they suddenly show up as very painful, which might make you think that the client is getting worse. Because of this widely misunderstood belief a client may also feel their condition has deteriorated. If this happens it means your sessions are on the right track and that you are succeeding in raising your client's vitality.

Thank you for this information.

Sophe there is more coming