What is Reflexology?

Reflexology is the holistic understanding, study and practice of treating points and areas in the feet and hands that relate to corresponding parts of the body. Using precise hand and finger techniques, a reflexologist may improve circulation, induce relaxation and enable homeostasis. This encourages the person’s own healing systems to be activated to maintain well-being.

Reflexology is a gentle healing art which dates back to ancient Egypt and China. An indication that even then the benefits of this therapy were strongly acknowledged can be seen in Egyptian tomb art work dating from around 2000BC.  This depicts a scene of the giving and receiving of foot massage.

It was not until 1913 that Dr William Fitzgerald introduced this therapy to the West. He found that the application of pressure to one part of the body could create a response in another.  This reflex relationship was found to lie within certain longitudinal zones of which there were ten in the body. Fitzgerald called this the science of “zone therapy”.

In the 1930’s a young physiotherapist called Eunice Ingham further developed the study of zone therapy into reflexology as we know it today. It was she who determined that the reflexes on the feet and hands were an exact mirror image of the organs of the body.

Reflexology is a complementary therapy, which works on the feet to assist in restoring homeostatis to the whole person not just the prevailing symptoms.