Zone Therapy

To those of you involved in the world of reflexology, I'm sure that you have heard of zone therapy. If not, have no fear! Life is about learning isn't it?? I think most people take for granted that literally ANYTHING we want to learn is at our fingertips. Literally. We have the utmost advantage that anytime, anywhere, we can use our fingertips and search anything and everything into Google! Okay, don't get me wrong, I also agree that technology has its disadvantages... The social disconnect, the privacy concerns, the addiction, the expectation to always be available, the unbelievable extent of inappropriate information our children can be exposed to... The list goes on. But let's be real for a minute. We can never take away technology or stop its advancements. So we might as well take advantage of the good parts it offers.

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"I am still learning" -Michaelangelo, at age 87. What a simple, yet meaningful quote. Let us bury our pride for a minute and acknowledge that we don't know everything and there is always something new to learn. What a blessing that is!

At the end of my internship during my first year studying, I was required to turn in reports pertaining to my client. The last page had a few questions on it, one being: "Why did I get this client? What can I learn from him/her? What can I take away from this experience?" At first, I rolled my eyes. Just some more busy work I needed to do. But when I sat down and really thought about it, I realized that there was SO much I learned from my client. And then, an epiphany moment hit me. Wow, how fortunate am I that I have fallen into a profession where I can help others and in turn learn from them too. But the truth is, every professional can learn from his/her clients/patients/coworkers/children/strangers that you encounter. You just have to be open to it.

Now, after that rant... Back to zone therapy!

In the 1920’s, Dr. William H. Fitzgerald publicized the method that so many of us use called 'Zone Therapy'. Dr. Fitzgerald exposed the medical world to this method as a form of pain relief of analgesia. According to zone therapy, each foot is divided into five vertical zones. Applying pressure to each zone has an anesthetic effect on the corresponding areas of the body and greatly relieves pain and tension.

Expanding on Dr. Fitzgerald’s zone therapy, Dr. Shelby Riley created a map of reflex points on the feet and hands that correspond to the organs of the body. Furthermore, Dr. Riley added horizontal zones across the feet and hands. Physiotherapist, Eunice D. Ingham worked under Dr. Riley and played a big role on the advancement and development of the modern reflexology that we are familiar with today.

How to use Zone Therapy?

To use zone therapy, I like to use the thumb walking technique or massaging the zones in a circular motion. Applying gentle pressure along the zones will stimulate the corresponding zones and organs in the body. Pay attention to any tender spots. Begin with a light pressure and gradually deepen the massage on the tender points as tolerance increases. I have seen various ways to work with the zones. I generally work in a downward direction; meaning, starting at the top of the toes down to the heels. This can be very helpful when the client needs some grounding at the moment. You can end off holding toe number 3. From my experience, zone therapy is extremely soothing. Frequently, clients fall asleep or fall into a deep relaxing state, after working on the zones. This method brings the client inward to a relaxing, calming, and comforting state.

What can Zone therapy help?

• Relieve anxiety and stress

• Pain relief

• Improve blood circulation and lymphatic flow

• Balance hormones

• Promote relaxation

• Grounding

• Bringing balance and centering the client

Try this method out and let me know how it goes! I would love to hear about your experiences and any tips that you may have regarding zone therapy or reflexology in general! Enjoy 👣