Reflexology or zone therapy, as an alternative health care practice, is a natural healing art that is based on the principle that the body has reflexes in the feet that have referral zones which correspond to every organ and part of the body. Practitioners of reflexology apply pressure on these reflex zones on the foot (or hand) to what they claim is to relieve tension, rid the body of toxins, help with weight loss, improves circulation and promote the normal function of the body that is related to the area having pressure applied to it or being massaged.
Reflexologists claim that there is a blockage of an energy field or invisible life force known as Qi that can prevent healing. They believe that applying pressure to a body part or organ’s zone on the foot manipulates the Qi and improves health. They also claim that disorders of different organ systems can be diagnosed through these zones on the foot.
No one has yet been able to experimentally or scientifically shoe the existence of Qi yet, so this explanation has not yet been able to be supported. Many clinical trial have been done to test the clinical usefulness of reflexology. Enough clinical trials have now been done to combine them together into a systematic review. Two systematic reviews have recently been published.
A 2008 review in the Journal of Advanced Nursing concluded that “There is no evidence for any specific effect of reflexology in any conditions, with the exception of urinary symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. Routine provision of reflexology is therefore not recommended.” A more recent 2009 review in the Medical Journal of Australia concluded that “The best evidence available to date does not demonstrate convincingly that reflexology is an effective treatment for any medical condition.”
While the evidence is clear that reflexology as a technique does not work and it theoretical underpinning have no scientific support, that does not mean that a foot massage does not have beneficial effects in those with a disease. A foot massage is relaxing and will help relieve stress and most people.Image Source: http://images.google.com
