Reflexology, like so many other natural healing arts, originated in Asia. In ancient days, the Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Russians and Egyptians practiced forms of reflexology. I suspect reflexology came into being the day man put on his first pair of shoes. Reflexology as we know it today began in the early years of the twentieth century. Dr.William Fitzgerald developed the zone theory of the human body, and argued that pressure applied in one part of the body could anesthetize another part of the body. Eunice Ingham put his theories into practice in the 1930’s. She felt that the zones, which ran throughout the body, could be accessed through the feet, as they were the most responsive area due to their sensitivity. She mapped the entire body onto the feet and discovered that applying pressure on the various parts of the foot had therapeutic effects on corresponding parts of the body. Thus, modern reflexology was born.

Reflexology has many of the same benefits as body massage:

• reflexology reduces stress and induces deep relaxation
• improves circulation
• cleanses the body of impurities
• creates homeostasis
• revitalizes energy
• stimulates creativity and productivity and
  is a means of preventive health care.

It has an additional benefit, also, of being less intrusive. Because the feet are located far away from the more private areas of the body and the central organs, and because people may not consider their feet as an important and integral part of their body, they will often feel more comfortable with reflexology than a full body massage.

What is reflexology? A textbook defines it as follows: "reflexology is the art and science of stimulating the body’s own healing forces through special massage techniques." However, it is not a foot massage and it is not a medical treatment. Even though many people who experience reflexology on a regular basis find that their particular pain or ailment is relieved or cured, it was not the practitioner or the treatment that did the curing; only the body itself can cure. Reflexology works with subtle energy flows and revitalizes the body, allowing the body to use its own means of healing.

How does reflexology work? There are several theories. One is that reflexology relieves tension and clears blockages by stimulating sensory receptors in the nerve fibers of the foot, producing energy that branches to the spinal cord where it is dispersed throughout the entire nervous system. Another theory is that the treatment relaxes the body, thereby reducing any constriction of blood vessels and improving circulation, which helps to break up and dissolve crystal deposits caused by an excess of uric acid, which has built up in the body and settled in the feet. Lastly, it is proposed that during a reflexology treatment, pain-blocking chemicals called endorphins are released into the bloodstream, easing pain and giving the client a feeling of well being. I believe all these theories have merit. But the bottom line is this - reflexology eases aches and pains, and creates a feeling of deep relaxation and balance in those treated.