Foot Reflexology, The Nerve Impulse Theory

When pressure is applied to the foot, or any other organ in the body, afferent neurons conduct the message to ganglia or groups of neurons outside the spinal cord. Normally, messages pass from the ganglia to the spinal cord then up to the brain for interpretation. Motor nerves than carry responses down the spinal cord, out to the ganglia then on to the appropriate muscles for activity.

The electrical impulse theory says that for a reason, as yet unexplained, messages from the feet reaching the ganglia connect up with the messages going to muscles, so that working the feet has direct action on bodily organs. This explains why Reflexology zones are vertical, with pressure on one side of the foot affecting organs on the same side of the body. The theory can also be used to explain how Reflexology benefits people with paralysis due to severing of the spinal cord.

The electrical impulse theory has much in common with the reflex arc, a well-known physiological phenomenon. Examples of involuntary reflexes include blinking, pupil contraction to light, knee and ankle jerks. The doctor tapping the bottom of the knee with a rubber hammer so that the leg shoots up is checking that the reflex arc is working, as an indication of proper neurological functioning. The reflex arc relies on nerve synapses or connections between sensory nerves and motor nerves in the spinal cord so that the activity takes place a split second before the brain is told about it, or can initiate it itself.