How does reflexology work? We first posed this question in 1981. Our findings from research in work with paralysis are that the value of reflexology is in the application of pressure to the feet. This pressure elicits a response of the autonomic-somatic regulators of the body. Autonomic-somatic integration, the coordination of internal organs and sensory input, is the basic mechanism by which survival is ensured. For example, the individual who lifts a car off another person in an emergency situation is feeling the adrenaline surge from the autonomic nervous system and is directing the efforts with somatic (sensory) input. In the more mundane mode of our daily lives, this tandem arrangement is still in force. The advantage of working with paralysis in our reflexology research is that for the first time we can see these forces at work without the inhibition present in the "normal" nervous system.
Our work in paralysis continues. Through this research we are given greater insight into how the foot works and gain a better understanding of approaches to the foot.
J. is a 28-year old quadriplegic with damage to C3, C5, and C6 from an accident three years ago. Our work with him began on February 12, 1980 and has consisted of pressure to the feet and hands.
A. is a 24-year old paraplegic with damage to T2, T3, and T4 from an accident five years ago. Our work with her began on November 19, 1980 and has consisted of pressure to the feet and hands.
K. is a 14-year old paraplegic with damage to T10 from an accident four years ago. Our work with her began November 7, 1980. K. has received Feldenkrais therapy for three years.
J. has experienced a gradual return of the ability to sense pain, heat, cold, light touch, and deep pressure. This ability varies over his body seemingly from dermatome to dermatome.The first sensation he perceived was one of burning pain running from the feet up his legs. He described it as feeling like a brick had been dropped on his foot. Over time the pain sensation was perceived as numbness and a deep bone pain. Eventually the pain evoked by work on his feet and the residual pain prompted him to ask that we curtail our work. Our work has varied in duration and pressure applied since that time, July of 1980. The pain sensation has developed into discrete localization of pain. J.reported the ability to sense fullness in the stomach next followed by sensation of the need to empty the bladder. J. noted his ability to sense heat in the fall of 1980 when his legs were placed next to a car heater. J.'s ability to move has been gradually developing also. Greater mobility of the upper body and control of wrist positioning is the most evident. He moved himself from the wheelchair to bed last week for the first time with no slide board, only upper body strength. He has control of some finger movement He also has a sense of body image.
A most interesting development has been J.'s physical reaction to pressure on the left foot. Pressure triggers a corresponding spasming of the fingers of his right hand. This phenomenon has become more discreet with time.
K. has shown some crossover between hands and feet. Exerting pressure to certain areas of the hands has triggered a spasming of the toes and the foot as a whole. This has been more of a random occurrence than a repeatable event. K. has reported that pressure to a discrete point on the hand does trigger a sensation in a discrete point on the foot. Each hand has two points where pressure elicits sensation.
Each of the three, J., A., and K. show that pressure to a particular point on the foot will evoke a specific spasming of a specific combination of digits. After being exhibited for 17 months, this crossover is gradually fading. The involvement of the digits is less vigorous.
Our work with the paraplegics has followed similar lines in the crossover pattern. Both para's initially exhibited a spasming of the legs in response to pressure on the feet. After three months of work it became evident that the spasming was becoming organized. At six months both K. and A. were showing the same organized spasming behavior in response to pressure on the feet. The foot receiving pressure spasmed into dorsaflexion, while the other foot spasmed into plantarflexion. If resting to the outside, the foot would slowly rotate inwardly before exhibiting the organized spasming. If resting to the inside, the foot would rotate outwardly before the organized spasming. It would seem the foot was positioning itself. During the dorsa/plantar flexion cycle, the hips would rise in response and the toes would wave rhythmically as the feet complete the cycle. At this time, after eight and one half months of work, the above crossover has all but disappeared.
K. has shown some crossover between hands and feet. Exerting pressure to certain areas of the hands had triggered a spasming of the toes and foot as a whole. This has been more of a random occurrence than a repeatable event. K. Has reported that pressure to a discrete point on the hand does trigger a sensation in a discrete point on the foot. Each hand has two points where pressure elicits sensation.
Each of the three have displayed repeated general body response to work on their feet. Initially J. complained of being cold at the beginning of the treatment and of being hot at the end. K. shivers and her teeth chatter, yet she reports no feeling of cold. A. has audible grumbling in the G.I. tract.
The Paralysis Project began in 1980 with foot and hand reflexology techniques applied to a quadriplegic client and two paraplegic clients. Our goal was to study the effect of reflexology techniques as applied to paralyzed individuals. By studying reflexology in reference to an other-than-normal nervous system, that of a paralyzed individual, we hoped to draw inferences for the application of reflexology in general.
Observations made during Paralysis Project are the basis upon which we have constructed a model of how reflexology works. Our major observation was that pressure techniques applied to the feet elicited (1) what we came to recognize as a segment of the stride mechanism and (2) a direct response of the autonomic nervous system (a portion of the body's internal regulating mechanism).
Specifically, the spasming of paralyzed limbs in response to pressure applied to the feet of the paralyzed clients developed, over a six month period, into a series of sophisticated movements. Apparent random spasming became intended movement. Of note was a cross-over effect. Pressure applied to a particular part of the left foot came to elicit a particular movement of the right foot and leg. For example, pressure applied to the eye/ear reiterative area caused the foot worked to assume a position of dorsiflexion while the other foot assumed a position of plantarflexion. We note that such activity is consistent with activity of right and left feet footstep.
Further movement sequences elicited by the application of to a particular part of the foot was prompted to move in one of four basic directions consistent with the four basic directional move of the foot needed for locomotion. Leg and trunk movements came to be involved as well with movement sequences consistent with the positioning of the body for locomotion.
Each sequence was extinguished as a response over a period of time. The of period of time over which a response was available varied from sequence to sequence.
The response of the quadriplegic client differed from the paraplegic clients. Pressure techniques applied to a particular part of the left foot elicited movement of particular digits of the right hand. Responses were elicited from left foot to right foot and vice versa but paled in contrast to the left foot/right hand response.
Secondly, a stereotypical body response was elicited from general work on feet. The response varied from client to client but seemed to be internal body adjustments. One client shivered and her teeth chattered, yet when asked, she would report no sensation of being cold. One client perspired on one side of the head. One client perspired below the level of spinal cord injury. The responses developed over time and were extinguished over time.
What we found in our observations of reflexology techniques as applied to paralyzed individuals was an other-than-normal response. Additionally, in spite of spinal cord injury, there seemed to be a basic organizational response to pressure applied to the feet especially. Without the inhibition present in a normal nervous system, pressure seemed to trigger templates of movement necessary for locomotion. An apparent response of the autonomic nervous system was also elicited.
Although further documentation and research are needed, the inferences we have drawn from our observations are that:
1. A possible mechanism with the existing nervous system to explain our observations and the workings of reflexology is in the integration of autonomic-somatic information by the body. Such a mechanism allows the body to coordinate its involuntary internal reactions with its muscular structural actions for the purposes of survival.
2. Perception of sensation by the feet is an important part of the body's ability to walk. Pressure, stretch and movement can be manipulated to effect a physical change within the body.
3. Through the practice of pressure, stretch and movement, reflexology breaks the stress experienced by the foot during the function of locomotion thus providing to the foot, and body as a whole, an exercise of a fuller range of function resulting in a lessened wear and tear on the body.
4. An interruption of the body's imaging process occurs in paralysis. The imaging can be changed by the exercise of locomotive components, pressure, stretch and movement.
5. The capacity for education exists within the body's sensory-locomotive system. Reflexology can be seen as an exercise of the body's sensory-locomotive system.
|
Level of Client's Spinal Cord Injury |
Internal body Adjustment |
Cross Over Effect |
|
J: C-3, C-5 |
Left foot to right hand |
Perspiring on one side of the head |
|
A: T-4, T-5, T-6 |
Growling of intestinal tract Right foot to left foot Perspiring below evel of injury |
Left foot to right foot Pelvic downward lock |
|
C: T-1O |
Shivering and teeth chattering |
Left foot to right foot, Right foot to left foot Left hand to right foot (rare event) |
| Reflexology Books | Reflexology Charts | Reflexology Logo Products | Self Help Reflexology | Reflexology Ebooks | Reflexology IPhone App |
|
Monitor page for changes |
ŠKunz and Kunz 2009