Fitzgerald divides the body up into ten equal, vertical zones, ending in the fingers and toes. He theorised that pressure on one part of a zone would effect every other part of the body that lay within that particular zone.
Consequently, reflex areas on the feet and hands were connected to other areas and organs within the body, so long as they were within the same zone.
Dr Fitzgerald’s theory was a success and on the 29th of April 1934 a newspaper article entitled "Mystery of Zone Therapy Explained" was published, creating a wider general acceptance and knowledge of his work.
In the 1930’s, Dr. Joseph Shelby continued Fitzgerald’s work along with Eunice Ingham, a physiotherapist who was fascinated with zone therapy.
Ingham used a "trial and error" research method, of taping cotton pads over the tender spots on her client’s feet, and then asking them to pace around the room. She would then watch for any tell tale signs in a corresponding body part.
Ingham considered the association linking areas that she stimulated on her clients feet and problems with the client’s organs and/or glands. She noticed that ‘congestion’ or tension in any part of the foot almost always reflected tension in a correlating part of the body. Therefore, she concluded that when you stimulate the toes there is an interrelated effect on the head, and treating the entire foot, has a soothing and healing effect on the whole person.
Ingham’s theory, which is currently accepted by most modern Reflexologist’s, is that there are ‘energy channels’ in the body that can become blocked - usually by stress and/or toxins - and if the correct area of the foot is stimulated, then the channel can be cleared, which will allow the body to regain homeostasis.
In 1961, physiotherapists protested against the use of the word "therapy" in "zone therapy" so the name "reflexology" was adopted, to avoid confusion. Other names which have been used for the practice of foot reflexology include ‘pressure point massage’, ‘compression massage’, ‘point pressure massage’, and ‘Vita-Flex’. In Europe and some other parts of the world, zone therapy and reflex zone therapy are still used.
Comment on the following developments currently taking place today.
- Standardisation of Qualifications
With the publishing of the House of Lords Report on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in 2000 and with several therapies at various stages in developing regulations, there’s been lots of guesswork and misinformation in relation to reflexology and where it fits into the regulatory process.
Standardisation of training, education, regulation, and registration for Reflexologists is vitally important, as it will, rightfully, identify reflexology as a profession and protect the general public who seek a professional treatment.
The Reflexology Forum () are the developing regulatory body for the UK, and they are working together with the Prince of Wales’ foundation for integrated health, to develop a voluntary self regulatory system, which will allow all member organisations the security of belonging to a register of standardised professionals.
They aim to:
- Maintain a register of individual members;
- Set educational standards and an independent accreditation system for training establishments;
- Maintain professional competence among its members with an adequate programme of continuing professional development;
- Provide codes of conduct, ethics and practice;
- Have in place a complaints mechanism for members of the public;
- Have in place a disciplinary procedure that is accessible to the public;
- Require members to have adequate professional indemnity insurance;
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Adapted from The Association of Reflexologists, Latest Reflexology news
I think that it is extremely important to have this regulatory body, to offer clients safety and confidence in their practitioner. In the end it can only benefit a therapist to have a trusting, positive client who knows that their reflexologist has been trained and is accountable to a recognised larger organisation. This will particularly benefit self-employed and freelance practitioners, who do not have the reputation of a salon to back up/vouch for their expertise.
- Recognition by orthodox medical professionals in Leicestershire.
‘… “The weight of evidence we have examined suggests that complementary and alternative medicines could play a much larger role in the delivery of health care, and help to fill recognised effectiveness gaps in health care provision." Britons currently spend £130 million a year on complementary treatments, such as acupuncture, herbalism and reflexology, and it is estimated this will rise to £200 million over the next four years. Acupuncture, osteopathy and chiropractic are already offered to large numbers of NHS patients.’
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Christopher Smallwood, Economic advisor to the NHS, Quoted in the Telegraph
This quote was in relation to a study commissioned by the Prince of Wales which concluded that Complementary and Alternative Medicines (including Reflexology) could save the government vast amounts of money and benefit the wider economy. They concluded that it could reduce the 200 million working days and £11 billion of lost revenue per year that are a result of people taking time off work with back pain and other stress related illnesses.
Unfortunately this report was met immediately with scepticism by scientists and doctors who claim that the report would not have been impartial, due to the Prince of Wales open acceptance of such practices.
A fierce dispute over complementary therapies on the NHS broke out last May, with thirteen of Britain’s highly revered medical experts, including Edzard Ernst, a professor of complementary medicine at the University of Exeter, writing to hospitals to discourage staff from spending money on treatments that had not been clinically proven.
The Haematology unit at University College London Hospital claim to have the only paid Spiritual Healers in the NHS. These healers are part of a team of complementary therapists, including two reflexologists. It started out as a voluntary position, but as demand got higher, the hospital ended up offering to pay for them to come in more often.
A reply to an email I sent out to Daniel Spinner, at the NHS customer service centre, told me that the Primary Care Trust in each local area is responsible for the use of CAM, not the NHS in general, as they have their own budget for these treatments. Also that in making these decisions, the PCT must account for the safety and success of the treatment, and the availability of properly qualified and regulated practitioners. Unfortunately reflexology in the UK is unregulated, this means that anyone can practice regardless of his or her knowledge, competency or qualifications to do so. This makes it difficult for any GP to refer someone for treatment, as he or she has little or no knowledge of whether the practitioner has even studied, or been taught by someone who has any experience of the treatment.
Whilst I have not managed to find any paid reflexologists in the Leicestershire NHS, there are other health professionals who are offering reflexology. There have been several instances that I have heard of in Leicester Royal Infirmary Maternity Wards, where midwives have offered reflexology treatments for pain relief during childbirth.
Although the NHS in Leicestershire does not currently appear to include reflexology as a standard treatment, there are several private orthodox GP’s who are writing medical referrals, or even offering reflexology themselves.
Private General Practitioner Services (PGPS) in Stoneygate are the largest private GP practice in Leicestershire, and they practice what they call ‘integrated Medicine’; offering alternative treatments such as reflexology alongside their traditional evidence based medicines.
I think that this is a small step in breaking down the mindsets of the traditional medical community, which will hopefully lead to further steps in recognition of it’s potential value, and eventually offering alternative treatments such as reflexology on the NHS in Leicestershire.
Research with special population groups, disorders or conditions
Alzheimer's disease
‘Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may also experience changes in personality and behaviour, such as anxiety, suspiciousness or agitation, as well as delusions or hallucinations’.
The part of the brain that controls memory and thinking are affected first, but as the disease makes progress, cells are destroyed in other areas of the brain. Even if the individual has no other serious illness, the loss of brain function itself will eventually cause death.
Research carried out by William Rossi states that the modern shoe could actually be the only cause of Alzheimer's disease, because he considers it to be the only thing ‘capable of robbing a person of the essence of their humanity’, both symbolically and physically. He argues that the foot is responsible for our distinguishing human traits amongst Nature, and that each person is born with a totally individual and unique footprint. Years of wearing shoes can considerably alter this "essence" of humanity, so could it climax in a total loss of an individual's unique personality?
It is also worth noting that women's footwear is physically more deforming to the feet - high heels, pointy toes, and small sizes, and Alzheimer's disease is disproportionately more common to women than men.
A German woman was Dr. Alzheimer's first clinical instance of the disease in 1901. He recorder that she also suffered with general nervousness and a poor weight—symptoms that are also related to footwear use. This revolutionary significant case occurred only a few decades after modern shoes started become popular in America and Europe. The first Alzheimer's patient was diagnosed on May 16, 1850, which was the last year that shoes were made completely by hand.
The following pictures are of habitually bare feet, and are from a study conducted over 100 years ago, and published in 1905 in the American Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery, which looked at the feet of native people in the Philippines and Central Africa, who had never worn shoes.
Dr Hoffman’s studies show that a line can be drawn through the heel, ball, and big toe of a regularly bare foot. The little toes open out naturally in a fan to offer a wide, stable platform for walking or standing.
The following image, also taken from the 1905 study, shows that our feet are shaped more like our shoes. No such line can be drawn, and the little toes crowd to a point—a comparatively unstable, narrow base for walking or standing.
So how would reflexology be of benefit to an Alzheimer’s patient?
First and foremost it is relaxing. The Daily Mail produced an article on the benefits of reflexology and stated in it that ‘Alzheimer's patients saw a reduction in body stiffness and arthritis as well as alleviation of the illness's symptoms of restlessness and wandering’. This type of illness can be very frustrating to the patient, and by relaxing and decreasing stress the body is brought back into balance allowing healing energy to flow.
Reflexology also helps improve circulation. It is my belief that by increasing oxygen flow and waste product removal, the degradation of the brain cells may be slowed down.
In relation to William Rossi’s work, if stress on the feet could cause so much distress to the mind, is it not possible that pampering and relaxation of the feet could in turn help to alleviate some of the associated stress within the mind?
Also, physical stress and exertion on the body is known to reduce levels of Acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter which aids memory – this is notoriously low in Alzheimer’s patients), by not only decreasing production, but also increasing the activity of the enzymes that destroy it. This helps to validate Rossi’s theory that Alzheimer’s is a stress related condition. It is also known that the lymphatic glands have Acetylcholine receptors that measure the levels of Acetylcholine in our bodies, and regulates them. I would like to see some research into whether the stimulation of these glands, through reflexology or other means, can help the body to recognise these low levels and increase production in cholinoceptive cells.
Appendices
APPENDIX 1
Members of the Reflexology Forum – The developing Regulatory body for Reflexologists in the UK
Association of Reflexologists The British Association of Beauty Therapy
5 Fore Street & Cosmetology (BABTAC)
Taunton Meteor Court
Somerset Barnett Way
TA1 1HX Gloucester GL4 3GG
T: 0870 567 3320 T: 01452 -623110
F: 01823 336646 F: 01452 611724
E: Website: or
Website: for qualification information:
British Reflexology Association
Centre for Clinical Reflexology
Monks Orchard 2 Bramley Avenue
Whitbourne Manchester, M19 2GB
Worcester WR6 5RB T: 0798 559 0206 or 0161 225 9752
T: 01886-821207 0777 089 3032
F: 01886-822017 E:
E: Website: Website:
Complementary Therapists Association (CThA) International Federation of Reflexologists
4 Heathfield Terrace 76 - 78 Edridge Road
Chiswick Croydon
London Surrey
W4 4JE CR0 1EF
T: 0870 201 1912 T: 020 8645 9134
F: 0844 779 8898 F: 020 8649 9291
E: Website: Website:
(incorporating ITEC Professionals and GCP)
International Institute of Reflexology (UK) Northern Ireland Reflexologists' Institute
146 Upperthorpe, Walkley 104 Belsize Road, Lisburn.
Sheffield, S6 3NF Northern Ireland BT27 4BP
T/F: 01142 812100 T: 02892 671004
E: F: 02892 678698
Website: E:
Professional Association of Clinical Therapists Scottish Institute of Reflexology
Federation of Holistic Therapists The Secretary
FHT 3rd Floor Eastleigh House The Scottish Institute of Reflexology
Upper Market Street 34 Crinan Crescent
Eastleigh Coatbridge
SO50 9FD North Lanarkshire
T: 023 8048 8900, F: 023 8048 8970 ML5 2LF
E: T l: 01236 425519
Website: E: Website:
APPENDIX 2
Email sent out to various members of the East Midlands NHS trust
This email was sent to (Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority); (Amicus/CPHVA Health Sector information Resources); (NHS general enquiries centre); (Enquiries at the University Hospitals of Leicester)
APPENDIX 3 taken from
APPENDIX 4
An email sent to VTCT re: the standardisation of reflexology qualifications.
APPENDIX 5 – reply from David Simmons
9 October 2006
Dear Katie-Jo,
Thank you for your e-mail of 3 October to the Department of Health about reflexology. Your e-mail has been passed to me for reply.
Decisions on the commissioning of complementary and alternative therapies, including reflexology, on the NHS are a matter for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and local NHS service providers. The Government considers that decision making on individual clinical interventions, whether conventional, or complementary or alternative treatments, are a local matter.
In making such decisions, NHS organisations have to take into account evidence for the safety and effectiveness of the treatment, and the availability of properly qualified and regulated practitioners. With the exception of chiropractic and osteopathy, all other professions which practice complementary and alternative medicine in the UK are unregulated. This means that anyone can practice regardless of their knowledge, competency or qualifications to do so.
It is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to commission healthcare packages for NHS patients. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments are clearly attractive to a number of people and so in principle could feature in a range of services offered by local NHS organisations.
Therefore, if people wish to receive reflexology on the NHS, they would need to discuss this with their GP, who if convinced that it is the best treatment, may decide to make it available. However, clinical responsibility for health conditions rests with GPs, who must therefore be able to justify clinically any treatment they refer patients to. If they are unconvinced about the efficacy of reflexology for a particular condition, they cannot be made to refer the patient.
There are no centrally held figures for centres that offer CAM treatments or carry out CAM research, due to the fact that funds for this come from local PCT budgets. Additionally, as CAM can feature as part of a wider healthcare package as well as an individual treatment, it is not recorded as a separate item in these circumstances.
I hope that you find this reply helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Spinner
Customer Service Centre
Department of Health
Bibliography
-
Benjamin. ‘Eunice D. Ingham and the development of foot reflexology’ U.S. Massage Therapy Journal, Winter, 1989
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Cressy, Susan ‘Reflexology’ Heinemenn Educational Publishers, 2002
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Hoffman, Phil ‘Conclusions drawn from a comparative study of the feet of barefooted and shoe-wearing peoples’, Oct 1905, Volume 3, Number 2, The American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery
-
Ghalioungui, P. and ElDawakhly, Z., ‘Health and Healing in Ancient Egypt’ The Egyptian Organization for Authorship and Translation, 1994
- Gillanders, Ann ‘The Essential Guide to Foot and Hand Reflexology’ The Alden Press, 1998
-
Head, H. ‘On the disturbances of sensation, with special reference to the pain of visceral disease’. Brain, Oxford, 1893, volume 16: 1-133.
-
Rossi, William A. ‘A Brief History of Footwear’, June 1990, Current Podiatric Medicine
-
Rossi, William A. ‘The Foot: Mother of Humanity’, published April/May 2003 in Podiatry Management
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Siliotti, Alberto ‘Guide to the Pyramids of Egypt’, Barnes and Noble, 1997
Katie-Jo Gracie - 512422 /
Ghalioungui, P. and El Dawakhly, Z. ‘Health and Healing in Ancient Egypt’ The Egyptian Organization for Authorship and Translation, pp. 25-26
The History of Reflexology, Available from <>
Red Figure Krater 510 BC, Available from <>
The World of the Buddha Footprint, Available from <>
Reflexology New Zealand, Available from <>
H. Head, On the disturbances of sensation, with special reference to the pain of visceral disease. Brain, Oxford, 1893, 16: 1-133.
Pavlovian theory on conditioned reflexes; 50th anniversary of conditioned reflexes. Available from: <>
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History: Dr William H. Fitzgerald, M.D. Available from: <>
Benjamin. ‘Eunice D. Ingham and the development of foot reflexology’ U.S. Massage Therapy Journal, Winter, 1989
Eunice Ingham - Founder of the International Institute of Reflexology. Available from <>
Foot work takes Sole, Jackson Citizen patriot available from: <> reproduced in Appendix 3
See appendix 1 for details and contact information
Fleming, N. (Medical Correspondent) ‘NHS complementary therapy 'could save billions'’ The Telegraph, October 10th 2005. Available from: <>
Mattin, D. ‘A Feeling for Healing’ The Times, Body & Soul supplement, September 09 2006
Taken from ‘What is Alzheimer’s Disease?’ Available from <>
Rossi, William A. ‘The Foot: Mother of Humanity’, published April/May 2003 in Podiatry Management
Hoffman, Phil ‘Conclusions drawn from a comparative study of the feet of barefooted and shoe-wearing peoples’, Oct 1905, Volume 3, Number 2, The American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery
Hoffman, Phil ‘Conclusions drawn from a comparative study of the feet of barefooted and shoe-wearing peoples’, Oct 1905, Volume 3, Number 2, The American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery
Alzheimer's "Old age converts to the New Age," Daily Mail , September 14, 1995
Kolata, G. ‘Study hints stress-drug link to Gulf War illness’ May 28th 1998, Available from: <>
Hubben, W. ‘Gene therapy used in an attempt to reverse progressive cell loss in neurodegenerative disease’ April 2001. Available from: <>