Crystal Gardens
Massage & Energy Therapy
4525 E Honeygrove Rd Suite 201, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 814-440-7280
Traditional & Thai Foot Reflexology
Traditional & Thai Foot Reflexology
Traditional & Thai Hand and Foot Reflexology
Reflexology is a pressure technique that works by placing pressure on specific areas of the hands and feet. The pressure technique functions by focusing on the nerve endings in the hands and feet that correspond to organs and tissues of the body. As a pressure technique, reflexology has been around as early as 2200 B.C. to help promote relaxation, healing and sedation of the body. The main concept of this pressure technique is that it helps the body regain normative balance and allows for relief of short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) illnesses. The most common pressure techniques are massaging or placing pressure on the feet. Reflexology works by stimulating the nerve endings of the feet, which creates a reflex response in the body. Medically, the pressure technique works because the feet and hands are the ending pathways of the body’s nervous system and placing pressure on specific areas of the hands and feet causes a reaction in the corresponding gland, organ and body tissue. Reflexology has been used for physical and emotional healing and the pressure technique has been used throughout history.
Reflexology Methods
The main method of reflexology is based on the theory that the body works through longitudinal zones, initially developed by Dr. Fitzgerald. In zone theory, the body has ten longitudinal zones that run from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. Accordingly, when one body zone is affected, the corresponding zone is also impacted and thus the pressure applied to one body zone can help relieve pain in the corresponding body zone.
The method of reflexology is based on understanding how the body zone can be stimulated by the nerve endings in the feet and hands to further the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
The foot has over 7,000 nerve endings. Each nerve ending in the foot corresponds to the central nervous system. The method of reflexology stimulates these nerve endings and pathways through the body’s zones. This allows the pressure applied to the foot to create a healing response in the body’s stress (pain) points.
Thai reflexology, although based on the concepts of the traditional Chinese art, has some differences. Thai reflexology uses warming of the feet techniques, the use of wooden reflex sticks to stimulate points, as well as leg massage techniques that stimulate the Sen Sib lines.
