Reflexologists use their thumbs and fingers to practice a type of healing massage. They believe this healing touch can improve your overall health and well-being, as well as help with location-specific ailments. Using your own foot massager at home, you can attempt to replicate the patterns of reflexology used by certified practitioners.
Identification
Reflexology is a holistic form of therapy. According to Vicki Pitman and Kay MacKenzie in "Reflexology: A Practical Approach," practitioners believe that specific points on your hands and feet are linked to your body's organs and systems. The idea is that treating these points with healing massage will heal the corresponding organ, system or function without the need for invasive surgery or unnecessary medicines.
Benefits of Reflexology
In "Feet First: A Guide to Foot Reflexology," Laura Norman writes that reflexology is believed to activate your body's internal healing powers. Practitioners believe reflexology can give you more energy, reduce pain, boost your immune system, stimulate your creativity and lower your stress level. Whether you want to reduce pain in a particular area of your body, such as the hips or knees, or need to shake a feeling of being tired or sluggish, reflexologists believe they can use your feet to access the zones of the body where these problems are housed.
Foot Reflexology
According to Norman, your feet work well for reflexology because of their sensitivity. They respond to touch better than other areas of the body, so it's easier to produce a change in the corresponding reflexology zones. Reflexologists use the feet to access ten energy zones that run down your body from head to toe, five on each side. Your left foot represents the left side of your body and your right foot represents the ride side.
Foot Massagers
Foot massagers come in various shapes and sizes. From non-motorized handheld devices to electric pods with massaging foot-shaped insole pads, foot massagers attempt to replicate the motions of a reflexologist's hands. Virtually all reflexology books will tell you, however, that the practice of reflexology should never be used as a substitute for a doctor's care when dealing with pain or illness. The primary use for foot massagers is for relaxation and enjoyment, not medical treatment.
Massagers & Reflexology Techniques
By activating the right points on the foot with your foot massager, you can try to duplicate the effects a reflexologist might achieve. Norman reports that your toes correspond to your head and neck while the balls of your feet match up with your chest, shoulders and lungs. Your upper arches correspond to your waist and abdominal region, while your lower arch corresponds with your lower abdominal region and pelvis. To access your spine, work on the inner foot; the outer foot represents your arms, shoulders, hips, legs and knees.
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