Introduction to feet
Feet are that part of the human body that many people totally ignore and never give any attention to; that is until it becomes necessary, but mostly people tend to forget about their feet.
No wonder, when considering that your feet are mostly hidden away inside shoes and only seen as a tool to get you from where you are to your desired destination. Some people find feet so disgusting that they try to avoid their feet and the feet of others and and even try to avoid any thought of their feet.
This is very different for the Therapeutic Reflexologist; your feet are the domain of the Therapeutic Reflexologist.
Feet are the domain of the Therapeutic Reflexologist
The Therapeutic Reflexologist applies specific pressure and stimulation techniques to the reflexes (nerve endings) on the feet which has a positive effect on the associated body part, but also causes deep relaxation and stress reduction in the rest of the body leading to creating an optimal body environment to give the body a chance to heal itself or at least attempts to restore balance. This increases overall health and wellbeing.
Reflexologist vs Podiatrist
A Podiatrist is another healthcare professional working with feet, but a podiatrist will diagnose and treat foot ailments and foot disorders like corns, calluses, ingrown toenails and bunions through biomedical, surgical and other treatment methods.
The Therapeutic Reflexologist does not diagnose, but only offers therapy to already diagnosed conditions. Where the Podiatrist is responsible to treat and remove corns and calluses, the Therapeutic Reflexologist sees it as part of the bigger picture of what areas of the body may be out of balance while offering therapy accordingly, but if the corns and calluses are causing a problem for the patient, the Therapeutic Reflexologist will refer the patient to a Podiatrist for removal of it. That is the big difference between these professions; the Podiatrist work with the actual physical problem on the foot, while the Therapeutic Reflexologist applies specific pressure and stimulation techniques on the various parts of the foot in order to have a positive effect on the entire body from a holistic perspective.
Why does the Therapeutic Reflexologist use the feet?
The principles of therapeutic reflexology apply on various parts of the body where the entire body is represented on the area for example the feet (foot reflexology), the hands (hand reflexology), the ears (auricular reflexology), the arms and legs (body reflexology) and these principles are even used in other professions where the eyes (iridology) are used for diagnostic purposes by diagnostic practitioners like Homeopaths.
Therapeutic Reflexologists may therefore use different parts of the body to work on and often use a combination of areas if they are trained to do so (within scope of practice boundaries) and often works on the hands, ears, arms and legs, but they mostly prefer to work on the feet.
The reason for mostly working on the feet are threefold:
- The feet offer a bigger area to work on than the hands or the ears and therefore the Therapeutic Reflexologist is able to more effectively work on specific areas and apply more appropriate pressure leading to better results;
- The feet are more sensitive due to each foot containing eight main nerves and more than 200 000 nerve endings, making it the ideal body part to do reflexology on where pressure is applied on reflexes (nerve endings); and
- The human foot is an absolute work of art carrying the body’s weight throughout the day while being involved in balance and movement; it works hard and deserves to be treated with professional touch and the ultimate form of relaxation which assists in the healing process due to the release of endorphins in the body.
Embarrassing Feet
You may say: “Not my FEET! You will be so embarrassed to see my feet.” No, not at all that is definitely not the case. The Therapeutic Reflexologist is a professional working with the feet of may in all shapes, sizes and conditions. What the patient may see as embarrassing, may be a good indication of your wellbeing to the trained Therapeutic Reflexologist. Many people feel embarrassed about their feet so you are not alone, but be assured that feet are the Therapeutic Reflexologist’s territory and it is a privilege to work with yours so you will never be made to feel self-conscious or embarrassed about your feet. The Therapeutic Reflexologist may even give you valuable advice on improving the condition of your feet if you ask.
Ticklish Feet
You may have ticklish feet and are very hesitant to have anybody touch your feet. The good news is, that Therapeutic Reflexologist done by a trained and registered professional is not ticklish at all. The pressure techniques used are not ticklish and the Therapeutic Reflexologist is trained to work with all kinds of feet, including those that are ticklish so be ensured that you won’t be tickled during a session, but you will find it very relaxing. That is one of the reasons it is so important to make use of a fully qualified and registered Therapeutic Reflexologist so you will experience the best possible reflexology session.
Sweaty and Smelly Feet
You may have feet that are sweating easily and are even smelly at times and therefore you may be very embarrassed to have anyone work on your feet. That is no problem for the Therapeutic Reflexologist who is trained to deal with both sweaty and smelly feet without you ever feeling embarrassed. Sweaty and smelly feet may give the Therapeutic Reflexologist an indication of underlying imbalances in your body and will deal with it in a professional and holistic manner ensuring you receive the best possible experience while attempting to provide therapy that assists your body to align itself back to a state of balance (homeostasis).
Conclusion: The Foot Professional
Qualified and registered Therapeutic Reflexologists are trained foot professionals seeing your feet as the therapeutic domain to work on and will never feel embarrassed about your feet, because they chose to work with people’s feet when they decided to enter the profession. That was a decision they made just like medical specialists make a decision to specialise in working with specific bodily parts, organs or systems. Therapeutic Reflexology is a choice made based on a passion to work with your feet.
Remember, the Therapeutic Reflexologist finds your feet fascinating and is dedicated to provide you with professional foot therapy that positively affects your overall health and wellbeing.
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Christo A. Scheepers: Therapeutic Reflexologist
Dip.T.R.(Cum Laude)[IARAMT]
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 1080000737453
Tel. 072-800 7243