One of the most common questions I get asked from my clients during a reflexology treatment is how was it discovered and how old is Reflexology?
Throughout the ages there has been evidence that an ancient therapeutic treatment involving the feet has been practiced in many different cultures and civilisations from as early as 2330 BC with the ancient Egyptians. Although no one knows if this is an ancient derivative of reflexology, the earliest documentation of using pressure points along energy lines is with the Chinese using acupuncture as a form of medicine.
It is much more recently that the work of Dr. William Fitzgerald and Eunice Ingham who are responsible for documenting modern time Reflexology. Dr Fitzgerald (1917) is considered the ‘Father’ of reflexology as during his work as an ENT physician he discovered that if he applied pressure to certain points of the body this would alleviate pain in a different area or produce an anaesthetic affect. After publicising this evidence, his theory was developed into more concise zone therapy where the body was divided into 10 longitudinal zones. The specific parts of the body found within these zones can be affected by another part within that zone.
Dr. Jo Shelby-Riley began to locate points on the feet and ears introducing 4 horizontal lines to the zone therapy theory. It was Dr. Riley’s student Eunice Ingham (1930) who began to lessen the emphasis on zone therapy and focused on using the foot’s surface to access the body’s organs within the zone sections. By applying the techniques she used on the foots surface enabled Ms. Ingham to map the organs of the body over the feet. In this process she discovered that particular diseased areas could be stimulated to heal instead of just being numbed.
In the 1960’s Doreen Bayly introduced reflexology to Britain where the Ingham method of reflexology began to flourish. Another reflexologist named Hanne Marquat introduced four tranverse lines on the feet to easily identify the shoulder line, diaphragm line, waist line and the pelvic line. Although hands can also be used, there is a more direct relationship with the feet which is why feet remain the preferential tool for reflexology.
Reflexology in still evolving from the development of crossing western reflexology with Chinese medicine; where the treatment compliments traditional medicine by treating the body as a whole. It is my experience that you can easily identify areas within a person that may be causing pain by the feel of the feet in that specific reflex and by working these areas the problem can be alleviated temporarily. It is a thoroughly relaxing treatment that allows the body and mind to rest and recuperate.
References
Reflexology: A way to better health; Nicola M Hall, 1998
Reflexology: techniques of foot massage for health and fitness; Anna Kaye & Don C Matchan, 1979
Reflexology: a practical approach; Vicki Pittman & Lay Mackenzie, 1997
Reflexology: a practical introduction; Denise Whichello Brown, 1999
The Reflexology Workout; Stephanie Rick, 1987
