If you have ever had a pedicure, chances are you will also have had a ten-minute session of foot reflexology as part of the package. So what is foot reflexology? Massage Envy defines it as: “Foot Reflexology massage can be a deeply relaxing and therapeutic modality for those suffering from plantar fasciitis, ankle injuries or even everyday work and play. This will not only help relieve toe pain, ankle pain, plantar fasciitis and common forms of arthritis, but can also decrease stress and anxiety in the entire body. In addition, a variety of stretches can be beneficial. With pain and sensitivity in the foot, heel and calf areas, be sure to communicate your pain levels with your massage therapist during your treatment. It is also a good idea to rest after receiving the reflexology massage.”
Reflexology is not technically a massage, though the technique itself involves massage of certain points in the foot. Usually, these points are tender due to overuse, wrong or uncomfortable footwear, impact sports and injuries, fallen arches, weak tendons or ligaments, or even excessive weight. The technique itself involves applying subtle to firm pressure on reflex zones or areas of the foot to help relieve pain and stress.
The therapist will usually use a lotion or a light oil to help with ease of movement, as also to minimize pain while applying pressure to the pain points in your foot. You can choose to go in for an exclusive reflexology massage of the foot, (the massage can also involve the ankle area and calf muscles to help ease the soreness), or as part of an overall body reflexology session. The therapist is acutely aware of the common tender points in your feet: he or she will focus on the heel, sole, and between the toes. These are common reflex zones: you use all these zones to perform a variety of daily tasks like slipping into shoes, walking, turning a corner, adjusting your toes while wearing evening shoes, or just sitting with your legs stretched out, flexing and extending your feet muscles. Along with this, the therapist will also use a variety of techniques. Your foot will get stretched and torqued in every direction to bring the natural alignment back. Using a gradation in pressure and touch, your therapist will help relieve the tension and soreness you don’t even know you have in your foot.
But a foot reflexology session needn’t always be a massage. Some other effective foot reflexology techniques are stuff you do every day to ease the soreness: walking on your toes, walking on your heels, calf stretches, ankle rotations while at the gym, long stretches, etc.
Foot Reflexology: Do It Yourself
Here is what Mind Body Greenrecommends: “By stimulating reflex points on your feet, hands, face and ears, reflexology subtly impacts the whole body, affecting the organs and glands. A simple reflexology routine that works on just the feet can help you or a loved one to drift off to sleep naturally. There are nearly 15,000 nerves in your feet alone, one of many reasons that foot reflexology is so calming, soothing and effective.”
And from Healthy and Natural World: “For optimal results in reflexology you have to find out which nerves need stimulating. You do this by matching your ailment up with the right zones on your hands and feet. Once you’ve found the corresponding zone you can either have someone else apply pressure or simply do it yourself.
The pressure is spread among the many nerve endings, there are more than 7000 on one foot alone, and opens up pathways of energy that may have been congested.”
Healthy and Natural World also has a great chart to help you do your own foot reflexology.
My own fitness trainer makes us perform foot reflexology sessions on gym partners. We pair up and sit facing each other. Using either the tips of our fingers, or the blunt end of a pain, we sit down with a chart like the one above, and do our own version of a foot reflexology session. It’s great fun, for starters. Secondly, it helps us bond with another person after a workout.
Try one today, either on yourself, or have your partner give you a foot massage.
