Most people have heard the term reflexology but really don’t have a clear idea what it is. They think of it as some type of new age, alternative type of either healing or personal improvement practice. A vague memory of their pediatrician hitting their knee with a tool with a triangular piece of rubber on the end to check their reflexes comes to mind. If the lower leg moved forward you had good reflexes.

Reflexology deals with reflexes. Reflexologists believe that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands which correspond to all the glands, organs, and parts of the body. They have a unique method of using their thumb and fingers on these reflexes to find areas of congestion and tension and then work these out to help the body work more efficiently.

It is hard to understand how putting pressure on a certain area of the foot could have an affect on an organ or gland. It sounds sort of like acupuncture. The reason reflexology is said to work is because reflexes link each part of the body to a special area on the feet and hands. What connects the reflexes is the nervous system. For example, there are about 7,500 nerve endings in the foot. When a reflex point is manipulated properly a reflex action, like the tool hitting the knee, is produced through the nerve endings. Some of these nerve endings get damaged or unresponsive.

The reflexologist eases the tension on these nerves and blood vessels which allows blood to flow easier helping the body to work better. If you have ever had a foot massage then you know how relaxing this can be. A foot massage emphasises the muscular, circulatory and lymphatic systems. Most people know that the circulatory system moves blood through our systems but are not as familiar with the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is an extensive interconnected system of vessels, spaces, and nodes in the body which circulates lymph which is a fluid made from protein and other fluids.

Reflexology not only helps the muscular, circulatory and lymphatic systems of the body, it also affects the inside of the body, all of the organs and glands, everything inside the body. Reflexologists use a reflexology chart which is a map of the foot showing the specific locations of corresponding body parts as their nerves are represented in the foot. The chart shows which nerve to manipulate for each body part. It is interesting that the left and right foot reflect the left and right side of the body and the heart, lungs, chest and upper back are located in the ball of the foot.