Reflexology is a manual technique practiced since Antiquity which is part of natural medicine, known for millennia to have the ability to act on the whole body, this discipline gave birth to plantar reflexology.

Plantar reflexology is the use of massage and acupressure techniques on all the feet, it studies the physical and pathological reflex activity preceding a disease. This support method is based on the existence of reflex zones in the feet, which represent each organ of the human body.

Indeed, the foot is the miniaturized representation of the human body: to each reflex zone corresponds an organ, a gland or a part of the body. This osteo-articular system is maintained and works thanks to a set of muscles and ligaments in order to keep the total mass of the body in balance. The reflex loop will send signals to the central nervous system which will send back signals to the organ or gland, to the region in dysfunction. A specific touch applied to the reflex zones makes it possible to locate tensions and other dysfunctions. The activation of certain points by simple pressure makes it possible to act on the organs in imbalance or fouled in order to improve their state or to revitalize them.

The work of the reflexologist will allow the body to regulate itself and reach a state of equilibrium called homeostasis. In order to know the cause of his ailments, the reflexologist will proceed to a very precise questioning of the person. In most cases, the ailments are due to stress or family problems. They can also find their origin in problems related to the environment in which the person evolves, and which make the body react accordingly. Reflexology can relieve pain from a distance, which is why the reflexologist must know precisely the anatomy of the body and the reflex points at the level of the foot in order to relieve pain and treat the person’s problem.

The goal of the therapist is therefore to support the organism to obtain self-regulation and self-healing.

Reflexology has been practiced by different peoples since ancient times. It is recognized that the first form of reflexology originated in China and dates back more than 5000 years. A Chinese medicine book dated between 1000 and 400 years BC recounts passages on reflexology. The Chinese have always given the foot an important place in the human body and the etymology of the word ” foot “ in Chinese means for them “Part of the body which safeguards health”. There is some evidence to suggest that the Indian, Inca, and Mayan civilizations also used foot reflexology. They attached great importance to the feet to maintain a physical, mental and spiritual balance. The feet, in contact with the Earth, received positive energies. In Egypt, tomb frescoes dating from nearly 2 BC depicting figures manipulating feet. The initiator of modern podoreflexology was Doctor William Fitzgerald at the beginning of the 300th century in the United States. He is the founder of what he called “Zone Therapy” and gradually integrates this therapy into his practice. Thus, he imagines a first localization of the reflex zones by dividing the human body into ten equal zones and each of these zones corresponds to a finger or a toe. They are interconnected by the circulation of energy flows. It was Dr. Eunice Ingham, American physiotherapist and assistant to Dr. Fitzgerald, who disseminated this method. Seduced by the theories of Dr. Fitzgerald, in the early 1930s she developed reflexology as we know it today. She is the author of the first treatise on modern reflexology in which the whole body is literally “mapped” on the hands and feet. Nowadays, Guy BOITOUT and Jean-Pierre VALADA, two French Physiotherapists and Osteopaths have revolutionized the initial mapping by a more precise and detailed mapping which has given birth to more dynamic, fairer and more efficient occipito-foot reflexology.

The benefits of foot reflexology: physical, psychological and emotional

The method is sufficient in itself for a large number of minor pathologies, always with a spirit of complementarity to medical treatment.

The list of therapeutic possibilities is extensive:

• Musculoskeletal system: traumatology and rheumatism Torticollis, epicondylitis, tendinitis, back pain, lumbago, sciatica, cruralgia, minor osteoarthritis etc …
• Hormonal system: puberty, menopause, thyroid problems, non-insulin dependent diabetes.
• Cardiovascular system : tachycardia, stasis edema, minor hypertension
• ENT system: sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma laryngitis rhino pharyngitis
• Cerebrospinal nervous system: trauma to the cranial nerves and peripheral nerves.
• Digestive system: hiatus hernia, spasmodic constipation, gastritis.
• Urinary system: retention, incontinence.
• The skin: eczema, acne, psoriasis.
• Genital system: functional infertility, prostate disorder, dysmenorrhea
• Disturbances of the sense organs: oculomotor disorder, unilateral tinnitus, vertigo.
• Tension headaches, migraines.
• Psycho-functional or psychosomatic illnesses
• Pathology of newborns and infancy: gastroesophageal regurgitation pharyngitis colitis agitation or apathy.

Today, more and more health professionals and therapists are interested in reflexology and are being trained. This is the case for certain podiatrists, nurses, nursing assistants, doctors or psychologists. Most confirmed reflexologists come from a different professional background and have chosen to retrain in a more manual profession, focused on people and well-being. To be able to practice it is enough simply to be certified in reflexology.

Several schools in France offer complete training in plantar reflexology, but also auricular, palmar and endonasal. If you are curious, patient and like to massage, it is quite possible and even advisable to take charge of your feet and those of your loved ones. By taking the time to massage your feet, while trying to stimulate certain points of reflexology, you can discover and feel a very pleasant sensation of being reconnected to yourself, of taking care of yourself, even if some points can be painful. in the moment. With simple, precise and gentle gestures, you can make your children or your spouse happy, and create other bonds, sometimes stronger and soothing.

Of course, this does not replace the know-how of a reflexologist who will have the experience and the feeling necessary to guide you towards a rebalancing and self-regulation of your whole organism.

Foot reflexology is recommended for:

• Strengthen the action of medical treatments and reduce side effects through better elimination of toxins
• In post-surgery to reduce the side effects of anesthesia:
• In cases of functional disorders when the neuroendocrine, vascular and energy systems play a major role, reflexologies are 80% effective
• In the case of acute or chronic conditions the reflexologist will adapt the care with precaution.
• In the case of allergies or winter infections to rebalance the organic ground
• For relaxation, deep relaxation to eliminate stress.

A session can vary from person to person and it will be, for example, gentle on children and very sick, fragile, elderly or even burn-out. The session may be more dynamic for those who are very tired. The healing process is also based on the active participation of the patient in his care. The practitioner heals but it is the patient who is cured. He should not therefore be a simple spectator, he must be an actor of his health for this to work.

How does a foot reflexology session take place?

During the first session, the practitioner carries out a precise interview, called an anamnesis, during which the person states their ailments and symptoms. The reflexologist carries out a synthesis and a diagnosis, then he adapts the therapeutic protocol. The individual takes off his shoes and settles himself comfortably in an armchair or on a massage table, the head slightly raised. The practitioner is seated, at the level of the person’s feet. The first intention is to relax and gain confidence in the patient.

The therapist can perform certain manipulations on specific points of the foot in order to relax the person. It indicates to the individual the precise points on which he is working and this one can give him his feelings. During the treatment, the person may fall asleep. The effects can be accompanied immediately or in the hours which follow by a series of parasympathetic signs such as drowsiness, yawning, cough, hunger, thirst, urge to urinate, sweating, pallor, headache …

Certain symptoms may appear within two or three days after the treatment, such as stiffness, improvement in intestinal transit, an increase in urinary volume, more profuse and smelly sweating… These are the signs of elimination of toxins. These reactions are beneficial because they are acute curative elimination crises. They are desirable but not systematic, specific to each person and governed by Hering’s law which postulates that evil starts from the inside out. The follow-up is done in three to four sessions spaced three weeks apart depending on the nature of the problem, then the therapist and the person take stock. A session lasts about an hour.

The session is experienced as a privileged moment of relaxation, confidential communication.

Plantar reflexology is an ancestral art of screening for prevention and treatment caused by reflexes, You will discover what this practice is, its history, who exercises it and to whom it is intended, as well as the many benefits that it provides the course of a session and the contraindications.

There are few contraindications.

If the reflexologist takes certain precautions only the acute period of venous thrombosis phlebitis, and cases of serious infections with risk of spreading are to be considered as an absolute contraindication. Massage localized to the heart area should be avoided in cases of cardial decompensation, arrhythmias or severe arterial hypertension.

In the case of pregnancy, the glandular and genital areas will not be massaged during the first three months. During the following months the reflexologist will observe great caution.

At the level of the feet in cases of suspicious swelling, fractures, sprains, hyperalgesic rheumatism, reflexology is contraindicated.

Virginie Gigon, Reflexologist

In our western society, our feet are too often abused. Locked and tight in narrow and uncomfortable shoes, they suffocate and tighten. We forget that thanks to them, we walk, run, jump, dance, and even slide. They stabilize us, refocus us, anchor us in the present moment and connect us to Earth. They carry us and support us throughout our life.

When we decide to take care of our feet, it is in reality our whole organism that we re-harmonize and strengthen. Plantar reflexology gives the feet the lightness, flexibility and softness they need, and helps your body to cleanse itself in order to regain good energy. I was able to observe, during my few years of practice in office and in hospital service, that a session of plantar reflexology could, from the beginning, improve the psychic, physical and emotional state of the recipient. It does not replace drug treatments or medical advice, but supports the person towards well-being and healing. For most people with cancer, this treatment relieves pain through its relaxing and rebalancing action of the orthopedic and parasympathetic systems. Foot reflexology also helps to support the burden of disease and heavy treatments, giving the body back the energy it needs to fight cancer. Podoreflexology should be recognized, appreciated and integrated daily into our western and medical world. This therapy is essential to get back on your feet smoothly.

Danièle Marlasca Chevallier, Reflexologist

Reflexology is an excellent method of prevention and detection of pathological areas. Unfortunately, it is still little known in France. The foot is the human body in miniature! Everything is in the feet and everything is accessible under our fingers If the action of the therapist is decisive, the reaction linked to the capacities specific to the person is predominant. Whether in a hospital setting or in an office, therapeutic treatment in most cases provides relaxation, relief, drainage and general relaxation.

The reflexologist must show humility of discernment and common sense in front of his patient. He must be humble because he will not be able to solve everything, but his intention is to restore the physical, psychic and emotional balance to his patient. The reflexologist also has a very important role in advising and directing the patient to his doctor if this is necessary. After several years of practice, I am always surprised by the reactions and benefits of the techniques. In-depth knowledge of anatomy is imperative and allows action to be taken with great precision. It’s a real passion for me.