Foot Massage in reflexology

Effects of massage:
(1) Balance of Yin and Yang and adjustment of internal organs: Massage at the reflecting areas can adjust the functions of their correspondent internal organs, promote the healing of injured organs, tmprove the body's resistance, and restore the normal functions of internal organs.
(2) Produce an effect from the body's surface to the internal organs, promote blood circulation and relieve blood stasis: Massage applied to the reflecting areas on the foot can cure diseases in their correspondent internal organs of the chest and abdominal cavities. It can also promote blood circulation, relieve blood stasis, and eliminate toxic pathogens.
(3) Relaxation of muscles and tranquilization of mind: Foot massage can relax the muscles originating from the toes.
(4) Treatment of diseases and preservation of health: Foot massage is a safe and effective treatment without harmful side effects.
  
Principles for selecting massage areas:
The reflecting areas on foot are selected for treatment according to the diseased organs and following the principles of holistics and differential diagnosis and treatment. They can be divided into basic, principal and supplemental areas.
(1) Basic areas: The basic areas can be used to enhance immunity and improve the excretory function to discharge toxic and poisonous substance, including coeliac plexus, kidney, ureter and urinary bladder areas. Massage on these areas should be repeated three times before and after applying a whole massage set for either treatment of diseases or preservation of health.

(2) Principal areas: The reflecting areas of the diseased organs or the injured parts of the body are the principal areas. Greater massage pressure, for a longer period of time, should be applied to these areas. For example, the scapula, shoulder joint and trapezius muscle areas are the principal areas for treating periarthritis of the shoulder; and the uterus, ovary and vagina areas are the principal areas where gynecological diseases occur.

(3) Supplemental areas: According to the nature of the disease and the condition of the patient, supplemental areas are selected to improve the therapeutic effect to the basic and principal areas. For example, the spleen area may be used to treat hepatitis because this liver disease may injure the spleen; the liver and kidney areas may be selected to treat arthritis because the liver controls the tendons and the kidney controls the bones; and the lymph node areas may be chosen to treat inflammatory diseases such as tossillitis and bronchitis to enhance immunity.

Methods of massage:
The pad(s) of thumb and other fingers or the knuckles are used to evenly and rhythmically apply pressure to the correspondent reflecting areas on the foot. The methods of massage include the following techniques:
   
(1) Pressing technique:
1) Pressing with tip of thumb: This is a common method, since the thumb is soft, flexible, and has a wide range for massage. Pressure is applied by repeatedly flexing and extending the joints of the thumb. The other four fingers are put over the dorsum of foot while the thumb is used to massage the sole; and they are placed over the sole for application of nimble movement and firm pressure while the thumb massages the dorsum of the foot.
   
The pressure is vertically applied with the tip of thumb 2-3 mm from the free edge of nail by flexing the interphalangeal joint of thumb to a rectangle and then extending it repeatedly. A series of continuous movements are gently and rhythmically applied to the reflecting areas (Fig. 25). This is a technique commonly used by beginners, but the long-lasting tension applied to the thumb during massage may cause tenosynovitis. Therefore, it may be used alternately with other techniques.
   
2) Pressing with knuckle of index finger: The index fmger is flexed and supported by the distal segment of thumb to apply a perpendicular pressure with the knuckle
to the reflecting areas on foot with the hand, forearm, and upper arm arranged in a straight line. An even and penetrating force is applied and maintained for a while, and then released (Fig. 26). The pressing and releasing movement is then repeatedly performed for a period of time to produce a comfortable and tolerable sensation in the patient. This technique is usually applied to all reflecting areas on the sole and a few areas on other parts of the foot.
  
(2) Rubbing technique:              
1) Rubbing with palm: This technique is usually applied at the beginning of foot massage treatment. The palm with all fingers extended and spread is  used to press and rub the foot from heel to toes over all reflecting areas (Fig. 27) to relax the
muscles, improve the functions of internal organs, and treat diseases.
   
2) Rubbing with thumb: The distal half of thumb pad is used to rub back and forth over a few nearby reflecting areas (Fig. 28). For example, from the kidney area to the ureter, urinary  bladder, and colon areas.                   
(3) Kneading technique: Orly the distal half of thumb is used to do clockwise
or counterclockwise circular rotating movements over one reflecting area (Fig. 29), because it is comparatively small. The areas for applying the kneading technique such as the coeliac plexus and stomach areas, are larger than those where the pressing technique is applied.

(4) Knocking technique:
1) Knocking with index finger: The pads of thumb and index finger are placed together and the pad of middle finger is put on the nail of index finger. The protruding tip of index finger is then used to knock the reflecting areas on the sole or the dorsum of the foot while the hand moves up and down with the wrist joint as an axis.
   
2) Knocking with assembled fingers: The five fingers are slightly flexed with their distal segments assembled together in a plum-blossom shape and the fingers are then used to knock the reflecting areas with a spring force conducted from the wrist (Fig. 30). This technique is usually applied to the reflecting areas with thinner muscles, and is very useful in treating heel pain.
   
(5) Pinching technique:
The thumb and index finger are used to separately apply opposite pressing and kneading techniques to two reflecting areas (Fig. 31). Otherwise, the index is used as a fixed finger placed on a reflecting area, and then a pressing and kneading technique is applied to an opposite area by the thumb over the index finger. This technique is usually applied to two opposite reflecting areas, such as those of the
lower lymph nodes.
   
(6) Holding technique: Opposite the thumb, the four other fingers are put on several correlated reflecting areas to hold the foot and simultaneously apply pressure to those areas, such as the thoracic and lumbar spine and sacrum areas, or eye, ear, and nose areas (Fig. 32) for treatment of disease or health maintenance.