Reflexology: from ancient traditions to science

FROM ANCIENT TRADITIONS TO SCIENCE

Ancient Egypt tradition

An ancient Egyptian wall painting of the 6th Dynasty (approx.2400 B.C.) found at Saqqara in the tomb of Ankhmahor, an ancient Egyptian physician, depicts two men working on the feet and hands of two other men. It is known that in ancient Egypt to improve health and as therapies they used what we today name physiotherapy, mud and clay therapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, massages, hydrotherapy, surgery.

Ayurvedic and Indian tradition

Ayurveda (Sanskrit: आयुर्वेद; Āyurveda, "the complete knowledge for long life") or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India. Also in this tradition the use of massaging some feet points is known, even if it results a practice less complex and organic than in Chinese traditional medicine, more connected to massage effects than to reflex points.

Chinese and Thai traditions

Both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Thai traditional medicine.
Chinese Traditional Medicine (CTM) has accumulated rich experiences through a history of thousands of years. It has its own philosophy, a series of theories, as well as various branches. Reflexology, or as Chinese ordinary people call it, foot massage, is a sub-division of CTM. 14 important channels within the human body were defined, 6 among which travel to or from the foot. All these channels link internal organs with sensitive points spreading over the skin. out of over 600 points in the whole body, 66 (about 10% ) are located in both feet. While this book mainly deals with acupuncture, there are also several paragraphs referring to massage (but not foot-massage specifically).
In ancient Siam the use of massage was diffused as health therapy. Furthermore, it was said that King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910) was so fond of this method of rejuvenating that whenever he went out to visit his subjects in remote areas, at least one masseur was included in his entourage. From that ancient massage evolved the Thai reflexology tradition.

Difference between clinical reflexology and massage therapies

Although this difference would have to be known, some external observers so as some low level practitioners, sometimes talk indifferently of reflexology and of feet massage. They are two different things! Sometime they could be done in sequence but they are totally different. Usually massage apply large stroking movements on certain muscles (manipulation of the muscles and sooth the skin), using the hands, fists, elbows and sometimes feet, on the whole body or part of it. Clinical reflexology use the thumb, or specific instruments (point tools), to apply pressure only on specific points on the feet and/or hands or face, in short detailed movements. Reflexology may concern only few limited points or a larger number of it but, anyhow, only and always specific points. It makes reflexology more close to acupressure and acupuncture. In fact it is more easy to integrate reflexology and acupressure, in the same session, than reflexology and massage. Acupressure apply point pressure to specific point of feet, hands, or the whole body, mainly according to the acupuncture meridian system.

European and Western studies

Even if it is thought that reflexology was mainly an Eastern tradition. it has to be known that in Europe too it has a long tradition. In XVI Century the famous Italian artist Benvenuto Cellini was treated by pressures on his hands and feet to help him for muscle pains. In the same Century Leonardo da Vinci studied in detail the feet anatomy and physiology. In XIII and XIV Centuries Marco Polo and some missionaires brought the massage and reflex knowledge known in the Far East, but the European tradition did not change much. In 1834 the Swedish scholar P.H. Ling noticed the relation between the pain of some body organs and feet points. Henry Head used reflexed pints for anaesthetic purposes and later on W. Fitzgerald tested more extensively these relations (1913). It is known in Europe and North America also as "zone therapy". Almost in the same years of the XX Century, in Italy two important scholars were the physicians N. Gentile and G. Calligaris, they, independently from foreign activities, realised important researches and published some books about reflex-therapies and applications. Since the second half of the XX Century it had a wider diffusion (also by E. Ingham and H. Marquardt) in people and a growing interest among scholars of different traditions (biologists, physicians, psychologists, etc.). Today for several reasons (confusion of information, improvised experts, prejudices, etc.) reflexology still receives conflicting assessments and still is not much considered from the "official" medicin (outside research studies).

What reflexology is today

Reflexology is today a part of integrative and complimentary medicine or, as it was used to say, a part of the so called natural medicines (Naturopathy). Last but not least it is an area of research to understand more about links among different disciplinary health studies, especially psychosomatic links are strong and wide. Reflexology improves the wellbeing, helps in preventing disturbs and in treating them. It consists mainly in working (relaxing or stimulating) specific points of feet, hands, face/head. As it has some points in common with acupressure, sometimes it could be a work on few other body points too. To practice reflexology requires an adequate knowledge of anatomy, phisiology, general medicine, so as of specific professional work. It is important to verify that the practitioner is a qualified one, preferably is a member of specific professional associations and that there is an insurance.

Contemporary studies, research and practice

In our days the wider diffusion of reflexology and of holistic medicine is producing a growing number of studies and researches about the use of reflexology as a complementary therapy or as a help for several health problems. It has to be said that feet reflexology is the most known and diffused, but there are reflexology treatments for hands, ears and face too. It is widely accepted that reflexological treatments are often more incisive on younger than on elder persons.

Neurosciences

Neurosciences are giving relevant contributions to understand how reflexology works (or may work). At the same time reflexology suggests some approaches to the research to explain what were already considered explained. Some questions are still open and further data have to be produced.

Clinical practice

Today in the world reflexology (mainly feet reflexology) is practiced in hospitals, clinical centers, home as a valid support and integration to standard therapies (cancer, pregnancy, pain, stress and anxiety disorders, etc.) or as a substitute of some pharmacological procedures (in some limited situations) and as an useful instrument in relaxing and anti-stress therapies. In the United States, United Kingdom, China, India, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway it is already widely diffused, in other Countries its diffusion is increasing.