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- Ways in which reflexology can complement your overall health regimen
- The basics of reflexology points of the feet, hands, and ears
- What you can expect during and after a reflexology appointment
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What Is Reflexology?
Reflexology is an alternative healing technique that focuses mainly on the feet but can also focus on the hands, face, and ears. These body parts are home to hundreds of nerve endings. Reflexology is based on the principle that these nerve endings—called zones or reflex areas—correspond to all the different glands, organs, and internal and external systems of the human body. Reflexology practitioners, or reflexologists, believe that applying pressure to these reflex areas can restore health in the corresponding organs and parts of the body.
A Brief History of Reflexology
Reflexology is an ancient treatment. Though no one knows for sure when humans began performing reflexology, many cultures have practiced reflexology in some form for thousands of years. Reflexology has early roots in many countries, including:
- Egypt: A tomb in Egypt dating from about 2500 BCE contains murals showing reflexology practitioners and patients. It’s believed that all levels of Egyptian society used reflexology but that the poor especially used it as relief from hard manual labor.
- China: The Chinese practice of reflexology dates back to 2300 BCE. Reflexology was a natural partner to the widespread practices of acupuncture and acupressure; all three practices worked in tandem to enhance the flow of energy, or chi, in the human body.
- The Americas: Native American peoples used a type of reflexology that has inspired many current practices in the United States. Many tribes believed that the feet held a spiritual connection to the ground and that anything blocking that connection could be eliminated by manipulating the feet.
- Europe: Reflexology in Europe dates back to the 14th century, when it was promoted by several prominent physicians who believed that foot manipulation helped speed the healing process of their own ailments. During the 16th century, reflexology was casually practiced as a type of massage therapy called zone therapy, which followed the principle that massaging different body parts could help alleviate internal pain.
Reflexology in the United States
Reflexology in the United States developed from a mix of different types of reflexology practiced around the world. In the early 20th century, William Fitzgerald, an American ear, nose, and throat doctor, studied European zone therapy. Based on his studies, he divided the body into reflex zones and introduced zone therapy to the American public in his book Zone Therapy, or Relieving Pain at Home (1917). Eunice Ingham, an American masseuse and physiotherapist, modified zone therapy to focus on the feet and is generally considered to be the mother of modern reflexology. Ingham is credited with:
- Discovering that the feet have reflexes that are a mirror image of the anatomical model of the human body
- Discovering that a relaxing effect occurs when pressure is placed on the feet
- Teaching the public and medical community about reflexology
International Institute of Reflexology
Along with her nephew Dwight Byers, Eunice Ingham created the National Institute of Reflexology in the late 1960s. Byers then went on to found the International Institute of Reflexology in the mid-1970s. This institute educates reflexologists in the Ingham method of reflexology and has branches around the world.
Reflexology Schools of Thought
Current reflexology practices vary depending on how techniques were developed by the original practitioners. However, most reflexology practices are similar. The following table lists some popular reflexology methodologies practiced around the world.
Reflexology Method |
Developer |
What It Does |
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Ingham method |
Eunice Ingham |
Focuses on reflex points on the bottom of the feet. Pressure causes relaxation and stimulates the nervous system. The patient’s body reaches equilibrium as the reflexologist tries to find the root cause of pain. |
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Rwo-Shur method |
Father Joseph Eugster |
Focuses on highly stimulating pressure rather than relaxation. Energetic maneuvers using the thumbs and small sticks are common. |
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Vertical reflexology |
Lynne E. Booth |
Focuses on reflexes on the top of the feet; treatment occurs while the patient is standing. Vertical reflexologists believe that equilibrium is achieved sooner with this method. |
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Nerve reflexology (neuroreflexology) |
Nico Pauly |
Focuses on nerve reflexes in the feet that connect to the central and peripheral nervous systems. Treatment helps find the root cause of pain. |
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
