Reflexology is a type of energy medicine that addresses health concerns through the application of pressure to the feet and hands. The modality is based on the premise that areas in the larger body (systems, individual organs, and the like) are related to specific points on the hands and feet, and that manipulating these extremities will in turn have an effect on the related body area. It is categorized as an energy medicine because a main goal of these manipulations is to improve the flow of energy, or Qi (pronounced ‘chi’), in the body.

reflexology-2

Practices very similar to reflexology have been observed in the study of ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations. In the United States, its introduction can be traced directly to medical doctor William H. Fitzgerald and Edwin Bowers in 1913. Together, they wrote a book called Zone Therapy on the purported medical benefits of reflexology. It was not until the 1930s and 40s, through the work of nurse and physiotherapist Eunice D. Ingham, that reflexology got its modern moniker. Ingham, as well as her contemporary Laura Norman, are credited with the zone mappings and many other aspects of reflexology that we would recognize today.

Evidence

Studies have shown that foot reflexology has been “effective in improving the quality of life of cancer patients, decreasing anxiety and stress, reducing anxiety associated with menopause symptoms, helping to cope with the pain of fibromyalgia, improving the quality of sleep in women after giving birth and in many other health problems” (Esmel). Additionally, the practice has been shown to improve the lives of patients living with MS by facilitating blood and lymph circulation, and deceasing anxiety, stress, and depression. More studies are needed to increase our understanding of ways that reflexology can assist us in our wellbeing.

 

Esmel-Esmel, N., Tomás-Esmel, E., Rollan, Y. A., Cáceres, I. P., Montes-Muñoz, M. J., & Jimenez-Herrera, M. (2016). Exploring the body through reflexology: Physical behaviors observed during application. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 25, 52-58. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.08.005 
 
Nazari, F., Soheili, M., Shaygannejad, V., & Valiani, M. (2017). A comparison the effects of reflexology and relaxation on the psychological symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 6(1), 11. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_166_14