Reflexology
Therapy Through the Feet
Pressure points on the feet correspond to parts of the body. By manipulating these points, reflexology can help heal those areas that are sore or injured.
By SHERI REHWOLDT
Contributing Writer
So here I am, lying on a massage table in a darkened room, feeling silly. I’m completely dressed, but I’ve removed my socks and shoes, as requested. I’m here to experience reflexology. Like most first-timers, I’m skeptical that a half-hour of foot manipulation will magically rejuvenating not just my feet, but my entire body.
Terry Meyer, owner of Massage and Reflexology of Delaware, is doing her best to put me at ease. Giving me a moment to settle, she selects some serene music and closes the door to her private massage room, shutting out the world. We’re cocooned within a temporary oasis. It’s pleasantly decorated with rugs, plants and heavy blinds that filter out the sunlight. The flickering candles are a nice touch.
Taking my foot in her hand, she asks if I want a blanket. I’m not surprised; my feet are always cold. Poor circulation, I’ve been told. That’s about to change.
“Are you feeling anything?” Meyer asks several minutes later, eyeing me above her working hands.
“Yeah!” I reply through clenched teeth, relieved that she expected the response.
“That’s the respiratory part of your body. Are you getting over a cold or do you have asthma?”
“Allergies,” I admit. I’m surprised when she smiles. Her satisfaction deepens as she moves on to confirm the tightness in my neck, shoulders and spine (my stress magnets, as I call them).
“This is so neat,” she says. “No matter how many times I do this, reflexology always proves true.”
Meyer has been performing reflexology for 10 years.
She’s happy. I’m mystified. How did she learn all that from kneading my feet?
“I was just showing you what your body told me,” she explains matter-of-factly. “It’s not voodoo or magic. It’s purely scientific.”
I look over at the two reflexology charts tacked to the wall and get lost in the numerous colors outlining territory on two large feet. Each color identifies the body part that is energized when pressure is applied to that area of the foot.
What is Reflexology?
Reflexology is a compression/release technique that induces a relaxation response. It’s based on the premise that there are 10 energy zones in the body, five on each side, running from the head to the feet. The zones correspond to all of the glands, organs and systems of the body.
Ann Gillanders, author of “The Joy of Reflexology,” sums up the proven benefits of reflexology: it normalizes the body’s functions, helps to break down tension and alleviate stress, and improves nerve function and blood supply throughout the body.
Reflexology can be done on the hands. But for maximum benefit, says Gillanders, reflexology is applied to “the very roots of our being” — that is, the feet. Using the thumb, finger and hand, practitioners apply specific pressure to the minute reflex points.
When the body has been damaged by illness, injury or disease, it will attempt to regain its natural equilibrium. At times it just needs a jump start to recover, starting with the power of touch. (That’s why moms make a big production of kissing the boo-boos of their bandaged patients.)
Touch is important to healing, agrees Meyer. “We’ve become very touch skittish because of all the stories of negative touch. Reflexology has many other benefits, but it’s still touch. It just feels good.”
Reflexology practitioners view themselves as facilitators to healing. “The body knows what to do,” says Meyer. “You don’t have to believe in reflexology for it to do you some good. It’s a physical response.”
Why Does Reflexology Work?
The answer, say Kevin and Barbara Kunz, authors of “Hands and Foot Reflexology: A Self Help Guide,” is that any form of sensory signal alters the tone or tension level in the body. The entire body participates and acts in unison in response to deep pressure information from the bottoms of the feet.
Each foot has more than 7,000 nerve endings, 26 bones, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles. By manipulating the section of the foot that corresponds to other parts of the body, positive changes are made in the digestive, reproduction, respiratory, circulation, lymphatic, endocrine, skeletal and urinary systems.
Those who haven’t tried it remain dubious. But Laura Colona of Claymont swears by reflexology. Intense back and foot pain sent Colona limping to Meyer for relief. She had just had back surgery.
“I went to Terry twice a week for three months and it made all the difference,” she says. “It helped with my pain and depression. Before that, I always had to plan my day around my pain.”
During her treatment, Colona was able to decrease her timed-release pain dosage from 100 milligrams to 25 milligrams. “I really do think I can attribute that to reflexology,” she says. Colona now uses reflexology to maintain her feeling of well-being.
Meyer suggests that stress, constipation, stomach problems, migraines and menopause can also be diminished through reflexology.
“Keeping the system cleansed will reduce sickness and stress,” she said. “Some people don’t know what it feels like to be relaxed. If you slow down a minute, you become more focused. Stress is good at times, but when you have it without a break, it manifests itself in a physical form.”
What Happens During a Reflexology Session?
Perhaps the best aspect of reflexology is its non-invasiveness. There are no needles, no drugs, and you don’t strip down to your skivvies. You remove nothing more than your footwear. And you get to zone out for a half hour or longer to soothing music while a trained professional rubs your feet. Even the ticklish won’t mind — trust me.
With new clients, Meyer first reviews their medical history. She asks about medications, recent surgeries and the existence of any physical or emotional conditions. “There are considerations to be made when doing massage or reflexology,” she says. “It’s ethical and responsible practice.”
Meyer charges $30 per half hour. But she mentioned that if clients have certain insurance plans (Coventry, BCBS, Signa, Mid Atlantic and Amerihealth) they get an additional 25 percent off as part of CAM — Complimentary and Alternative Medicine Discount Program.
She adds that those wanting to try reflexology should seek out a certified massage technician — the minimum requirement for professionals offering reflexology. Technicians are also required by the state to participate in continuing education courses every two years.
Meyer then begins working on the feet, without the aid of oils, lotions or creams. The lubricants are avoided during reflexology as they interfere with sensory feedback. Meyer wants to connect directly with the foot. She’s feeling for energy blockages, which she describes as “crunchy” areas under the skin. To her, these areas feel like “wet sugar packets.”
The tops of my feet (the chest and lung area), my toes (the sinus area), the side and bottom of my big toe (the neck area), the inside of my arch (the spinal area) and the underside of my little toe (the shoulder area) all felt this way to her. The discomfort of my left foot during her manipulation was more intense than my right foot — which made sense as my neck and shoulder problems are worse on the left side of my body.
Each person will have a unique response to treatment. Some have a profound feeling of well-being, others feel lethargic. I felt lightheaded after the session. Meyer explained this was due to increased blood circulation.
“Some even say their feet feel different in their shoes,” she adds.
Colona felt tingling in her feet after her first session, and significant improvement in her pain after several days. Her advice: stick with the therapy. “Don’t give up on the sessions,” she says. “You will see a difference.”
Dee Burnett of Wilmington has become a reflexology “addict.” She makes weekly treks to Meyer for the simple pleasure of the experience.
“I go because I deserve it,” she says. “When I turned 40 I said I was going to start treating myself. I get total relaxation from it.”
And the benefits for a cold aren’t to be sneezed at either: Burnett says the manipulation begins to clear her nasal passages while she’s still on the massage table.
Meyer ended my session by adding lotion to her hands and giving my feet a gentle massage. As I slipped back into my socks and shoes, she washed her hands, then handed me a bottle of water and some to-do’s: deep breaths throughout the day to improve my lung area, stretch like a cat to loosen my tight back, apply pressure to my cheekbones to help sinus pressure, drink more water and, of course, return for more reflexology to relax my stiff neck and shoulders.
“You don’t have to have anything wrong with you to benefit from reflexology,” she adds. “It’s a rest stop; a way to clear the cobwebs. Some people come once a week, others three or four times a year.”
Highlight
Reflexology has been around for thousands of years. In ancient tombs and relics from Egypt, China, India and Japan, foot manipulation is featured, including a pictograph from the tomb of a physician in Egypt dating from 2,350 B.C.
To try reflexology at home, roll a golf ball or mini dumbbell under your foot.
To schedule a reflexology session with Massage and Reflexology of Delaware, contact Terry Meyer at (302) 633-4035. The office is located on Kirkwood Highway. Expect to leave a message, as the phones don’t ring in the office, but are checked frequently.