In today’s post, we’ll consider what Therapeutic Reflexology is not. So often we come across information about what Therapeutic Reflexology is and the benefits it provides, but rarely do we read about what it is not. Let’s jump right into this.
Therapeutic Reflexology is not:
- Replacement for Medical Treatment
Therapeutic Reflexology is a Complementary therapy and not the replacement of medical treatment.
It should firstly be noted that Therapeutic Reflexology is a therapy and not a diagnostic profession, which means that the Therapeutic Reflexologist may not diagnose which immediately indicates the need for the medical doctor or other diagnostic practitioner for diagnosing any condition.
Secondly, Therapeutic Reflexology is complementary to medical treatment because it can be done in conjunction with any medical, healthcare or psychological treatment that somebody receives without it interfering but instead offers value and contribute to the overall healing process and most importantly, the wellbeing of the patient.
Therapeutic Reflexology is a recognised healthcare profession in South Africa, formally regulated by the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA), a statutory council without which registration it is illegal to practice the profession. Registered Therapeutic Reflexologists also hold valid practice numbers, just like your medical doctor, making medical aid reimbursement possible. It is evident that Therapeutic Reflexologists are part of the healthcare community and as such, offers value in providing complementary therapy as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
- Exclusive Therapy
Therapeutic Reflexology is not a sole therapy excluding all other healthcare treatments but instead offers value within its own unique scope of practice. Therapeutic Reflexologists work on the nerve endings on the body; within Therapeutic Reflexology, these nerve endings are called the reflexes and are present on the feet, hands, face, ears, and rest of the body.
Therapeutic Reflexologists are known for working on people’s feet, and with additional training, other parts of the body may also be included. The feet always remain the therapeutic domain of the Therapeutic Reflexologist and working on the reflexes on the feet, may add value to the person receiving the treatment, but it is not a replacement therapy and works well in combination with other healthcare modalities.
At the private practice of Christo Scheepers Therapeutic Reflexologist, he regularly works as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team resulting in patients experiencing the best possible treatment for their specific needs, because it does not replace other treatments and is not solely exclusive, but rather adds value within its unique scope of practice.
- Panacea
Panacea is a word meaning that it is a cure-it-all miracle treatment that cures all conditions and problems as defined by Merriam-Webster (2025). Therapeutic Reflexology is not Panacea; it does not claim to be the cure-for-all. In fact, it does not even claim to cure at all.
Therapeutic Reflexology is a non-invasive healthcare therapy that is ideal in reducing stress levels while assisting the body’s own natural (innate) healing ability to restore balance (homeostasis) in the entire body and not only in one specific area. As such, Therapeutic Reflexology offers overall wellness rather than specific healing. The Therapeutic Reflexologist is professionally trained to know where the limitations are of the therapy they provide and when it is necessary to refer to another healthcare provider.
Therapeutic Reflexology does not cure everything, but it adds value in improving people’s overall quality of life.
- Magic Trick
Therapeutic Reflexology is not a magic trick, nor is it a one-session wonder.
People dealing with certain healthcare conditions may try everything and Therapeutic Reflexology is often the very last therapy they will consider, but the problem with this, is the fact that they then expect it to be a magic trick and to cure their problems within one treatment session. That is a totally unrealistic expectation, because Therapeutic Reflexology is not a magic trick, but instead, it is a recognised healthcare profession offering one of the best methods of stress reduction and relaxation induction. When the body is in a state of relaxation, it provides many benefits, but it does not cure all overnight.
The body needs time to adjust, to fully relax and to restore balance naturally. Therapeutic Reflexology does not cure; it merely facilitates the healing process by allowing the body to enter a state of relaxation which is optimal for healing.
- Pseudoscience
Ignorant people often refer to reflexology as pseudoscience and make claims that there is no proof that reflexology works. That is pure ignorance. Personally, the top level of ignorance is when a medical doctor would make a statement that therapeutic reflexology (that is a formally registered and recognised healthcare profession) is pseudoscience, but then they refer a patient to somebody to provide them with a therapy that is not recognised or regulated.
There are many research studies being done about reflexology, some include medical specialists and imaging tests like MRI scans as proof, so saying that it is pseudoscience is pure ignorance. Just because somebody is not aware of it, does not make it pseudoscience. To read a bit more about some studies that have been done on reflexology, please feel free to visit www.christoscheepers.co.za/research.
Conclusion
Therapeutic Reflexology may add value to your life and wellness, but it never claims to be something it is not!
References
Merriam-Webster (2025) Panacea. [Online] Available from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cure-all [Accessed 12 September 2025].
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Christo A. Scheepers: Therapeutic Reflexologist
DTR (Cum Laude), PhD
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 0737453
Tel. 072-800 7243