Reflexology – just another quackery

Reflexology, a form of alternative medicine, is a practice of massaging – applying pressure on specific areas of body, usually feet and hands, by which practitioner can diagnose and cure all sorts of diseases and problems. Like any other form of alternative medicine it is not backed by science and it doesn’t actually work.

Reflexology, also called zone therapy, maps the whole body on the feet and hands, each organ has a corresponding zone on one foot/hand or both feet/hands.  Body is divided in ten longitudinal zones, 5 on each side. Anatomically speaking this is nonsense because no such zones/pathways exist in our bodies. Reflexologists claim that by feeling specific zones on feet/hands can diagnose diseases and that by massaging hands/feet they can increase the flow of energy, cleanse toxins, cure hair loss, etc. None of these claims have been backed by clinical trials and it is perfectly safe to assume that reflexology doesn’t work, along with other similar practices such as Vacuflex or Vita Flex.

Reflexology is not recognized by law in any country (correct me if I’m wrong) and the consequence of this is that there is no formal training. Therefore anyone can practice reflexology and anyone can call oneself a reflexologist.

All that there is to reflexology is placebo effect. Foot massages feel good and the most likely reason for that is the fact that area of the brain that controls the feet is adjacent to the area which controls genitals. There could even be some neuronal overlapping between these areas.

Image source - Wikipedia.