Reflexology

Reflexology is the practice by massage therapists that connects various areas of the feet with other portions of the body to improve health and eliminate physical ailments. Reflexology has been practiced since ancient times and has roots both in Egypt and Asia. The study of reflexology can be extremely complicated for massage therapy students to learn, because of the intricate mapping of human feet which must be learned in order to provide benefit to patients.

The theory behind reflexology is that for every portion of the human body, an area on the foot can be identified as being related. When that area of the foot is flexed, it can either positively or negatively impact the related area of the body. Reflexology techniques can also be applied to hands in order to achieve results in other areas of the body. Intricate mapping has been developed for both the feet and the hands and it designates which areas to concentrate upon in order to solve issues in other areas of the body.

The practice of reflexology is often combined with either traditional Western medical practices or other massage therapy practices. Although reflexology can provided a benefit to patients as a stand-alone procedure, it has also been found more effective when combined with other techniques as well. Patients benefit when their ailments are attacked from differing perspectives and techniques combine in order to eliminate any blockages that can be preventing good health.

As a massage therapy student, one of your first studies will be in human anatomy and physiology. Unless you understand how the human body is put together and what systems and structures are interrelated, you will have a hard time understanding what practices can be used to impact physical health. During your initial studies, models may be used to demonstrate the interconnectedness of human bodily functions.

Once you have learned about anatomy, you can then begin learning about the areas of the feet and hands that can be manipulated in order to impact another area of the body. The mapping that has been done of the feet is quite extensive. In addition, nerve pathways will allow your patients to help you to find the correct areas by moving to slightly different parts of the feet. You can use directed massage techniques with your patient providing guidance on exactly where to move to in order to impact trouble spots.

After you have learned about what portions of the feet and hands need to be manipulated, you will finally learn manipulation techniques. It is not as simple as poking or “massaging” an area to produce result. Instead, you will learn differing ways of squeezing, pushing, pinching and otherwise moving various areas. For some ailments, you will learn that the application of pressure is enough to provide relief. For others, prolonged squeezing or pushing techniques may be necessary. Although the study of reflexology can be quite complicated, it can be a very rewarding practice for massage therapy students to enter into.

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