Ancient Reflexology

Reflexology is a therapy that dates back thousands of years.  It can actually be traced back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, India, Native America and China. The oldest known documentation of reflexology is a pictograph that was found in the tomb of an Egyptian physician named Ankmahor at Saqqara dating back to 2330 BC, which depicts patients having treatments done on their hands and feet.

Modern Reflexology

The more modern form of reflexology was first pioneered by an ear, nose and throat surgeon by the name of Dr William Fitzgerald (1872-1942). Dr Fitzgerald was the founder of Zone Therapy, which was an earlier form of reflexology. He discovered that exerting pressure on the tips of the toes or fingers caused corresponding parts of the body to become anaesthetized. From this, Dr Fitzgerald divided the body into ten equal zones, which ran from the top of the head to the ends of the toes. By using tight elastic bands on the middle sections of the fingers or toes, or using pegs on the tips of the fingers, minor surgery could be carried out with no further anesthetic agents required.

Eunice Ingham

However, reflexology as we know it today was pioneered by a woman called Eunice Ingham (1889 – 1974), or the mother of reflexology. Eunice Ingham was a physiotherapist working in a doctor’s practice using the zone therapy developed by Dr Fitzgerald. After extensive research, she discovered that the reflexes on the feet were an exact mirror image of the organs of the body and developed the map of the entire body on the feet. By using acupressure or massage techniques on these points, a positive effect is created in the corresponding body part.