SUMMERY ON REFLEX POINTS

Each TOE MARKS one vertical line.

The horizontal lines can be found on the bone structure of the foot.

• The 1. line crosses on the; Metatarsals - Phalanges Joints.
  

• The 2. line crosses at; the base of the Metatarsals.
  

• The 3. line crosses at the;
  Dorsal (bottom) Tibia - Talus Joint and plantar(top), at the ankle joint.

Sounds too complicated? Don't worry about the names, just look at the picture! (page 3)

HOW TO START:

• The patient should be in a comfortable position.

• Nothing should restrict the patients circulation.

• A good position is on a massage table. The head should be elevated.
  The practitioner must see any reaction of the patient.
  One pillow should be under the knees.

• The room should be pleasant, quiet and well ventilated.

• The patient should be covered with a blanket, to prevent loss of bodyheat.

BEFORE TREATMENT:

• Help the patient to get into the right position, to relax and to breathe correctly.

• Make the first contact. Take patients feet into your whole hand and do a few light strokes.

• If the patient is nervous, start off with a relaxation technique, or use the "reflexology first aid technique".

• With the first contact, start your first observation.
  Check on Skin texture, temperature, tissue and muscle tone.
  Any mole, calluses, bone dis-alignment, anything out of the ordinary?
  
  

• Nothing contradictoray? NO
  Now, we are ready to do some Reflexology!

REFLEXOLOGY TREATMENT

Time to learn how to massage the feet!
You will use several techniques, but by far the most important, which is used for 90% of the treatment is;

THE THUMB WALKING TECHNIQUE

As the name suggests, you move the thumb in a kind of walking fashion. The massage movement starts by laying the thumb flat on your patients foot. Then, apply pressure by flexing your thumb joint up to 90%. Hold it there for a second and continue by slipping your thumb into a straight position again. This slipping movement will have moved your thumb a tiny distance forward.

Next, apply pressure again as in the beginning.

Keep this continuous movement up. This will give a thumb "walking" like impression.

START TREATMENT

You will use both hands.

One hand will be the holding hand, always holding the foot of the patient, never losing touch. With the other hand, start the treatment. As described above, you will use the thumb walking technique to massage the whole foot in a continous movement.
This technique ensures that you touch or run across each reflexpoint of the foot from all directions. To gain better access and to make sure your thumb is not tiring, you may change hands inbetween. Just make sure by changing hands that you do not lose contact with the patient.

HOW HARD YOU PRESS,
depends on your patients sensitivity. The aim of reflexology is to heal, not to inflict pain.

This is also the reason why you would never use any implements to put pressure on the reflex points.
Start with a light pressure using your thumb running across various reflex zones a few times. This will give you a feeling of how hard to press. If you press too hard, everything will be painful, therefore you couldn't be able to find the more sensitive reflex points.

Once you have established the right treatment pressure, stay with it throughout the treatment.

Article provided by the Editor:

www.usenature.com - Dieter Luske ©