![]() ![]() The therapist kneads the soft fleshy ball of the foot, pulls on the toes, traces the heel and pushes into the arch. The foot reflexology session feels much like a foot massage – the massage therapist manipulates the foot muscles and surrounding soft tissues to improve circulation, relieve pain, and heal injuries, and promote relaxation. Often clients wonder about the difference between foot reflexology and foot massage. Pressure is applied to specific areas of the feet, which sends calming messages and releases endorphins to the central nervous system. ![]() Reflexology – along with a regular foot massage – promotes the health of your entire body including, keeping you in good spirits and feeling less stressed.Reflexology is an ancient healing practice based on the principle that there are reflex points on the feet that correspond to the body’s different organs and glands. Most people will agree that our feet particularly take quite a bit of abuse this time of the year. “It’s a break from everything else that’s going on, and they just kind of reset while you are working on them,” she said.The holiday season is here – and you know what that means – long hours of shopping, cooking, cleaning and standing at gatherings while wearing uncomfortable shoes. Sometimes patients can achieve relief in one to two reflexology sessions, and others choose to come regularly, as part of their self-care routine. When patients have sensitive feet or other conditions, Johnson said she can work on their hands instead. ![]() Those with neuropathy cannot feel how the massage is affecting their feet and reflexology could cause an injury, Johnson said. It is also not suggested for patients who have extreme varicose veins, fragile skin and extreme peripheral neuropathy. Reflexology targeting the feet is not recommended for patients who have a foot fungus or bacterial infections. For example, it can provide relief for patients with fibromyaligia, which can cause widespread chronic pain through the body, Johnson said. Reflexology can also provide pain relief for chronic conditions. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot that can cause pain for years, she said. Some of the common foot complaints that reflexology can ease include plantar fasciitis, bunions and bone spurs, she said. ![]() “I think the chair is nonthreatening,” she said. Johnson said reflexology often appeals to people with past trauma in their lives who aren’t comfortable with a traditional massage setting. She expects that aspect of the treatment might appeal to those who aren’t comfortable disrobing for a massage. Kwiatkowski also said she appreciated that while Johnson was working on her feet, she could sit up in a chair. Johnson said her goal is avoid pain when possible during the session, and she will return to tender spots several times to try to ensure the session is gentle. The reflexology treatment was not always comfortable in tender areas, but it did help her feel better later, she said. While working on Kwiatkowski’s feet, Johnson was able to identify old injuries based on the location of sore areas, she said. “It got me into the relaxed state that brought general ease throughout my body,” she said. The reflexology session felt surprisingly similar to acupuncture, she said. One of Johnson’s patients, Jen Kwiatkowski, said she is a firm believer in body work such as massage and acupuncture and decided to try reflexology in December after a surgery to repair her shoulder prevented her from going to her massage therapist. “They are like He-Man, they have to get your whole body,” she said. Some massage therapists incorporate reflexology into their practices, but they often provide much broader treatment to improve the health of tissue all over the body, rather than focusing on just neural pathways, Johnson said. By targeting those nerve endings, reflexologists can improve blood, lymph and nerve flow to specific areas. The extra tissue can be an indication of a chronic injury or sickness and using pressure on it can alleviate pain, prevent the body from putting out additional nervous tissue, and improve circulation in those areas, she said.Ī human foot is home to about 7,000 nerve endings that all correspond to specific areas of the body, including organs and the spine. When used to treat the feet, it can help release the lumps, knots and “crunchy” spots caused by extra nervous tissue, she said. Reflexology is rooted in Asian tradition and was introduced to the United States in the early 1900s. You just put your shoes on and you just go,” she said. They carry us through life and we don’t take that great of care of them, we just keep going. “(Feet) take the sum total of the stress of our lives. ![]()
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