09/29/2022
Why is pressure so important during a traditional reflexology session?
September 29, 2022
I’ve been diving into some continuing education lately and done some networking and I’m starting to realize there are a plethora of ideas and methodologies out there when it comes to reflexology. That’s not what I’m addressing today. I want to talk about the basic (such a lousy word for such a marvellous treatment) reflexology session. There are a lot of people promoting the use of light pressure. Sure, I can see it for some things, like facial reflexology or lymphatic reflexology but when it comes to that healthy client coming in to relieve stress, I am a firm believer that there needs to be enough pressure to trigger a transition from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system. Here’s the important point: that amount of pressure is supremely individual. What works for one, may be far too much or too little for another. I can’t stress this enough. It’s individual! The first time I ever had reflexology done, I was a student and I booked a session with my instructor. I was very stressed at the time and I literally fell apart in the chair. Everything hurt! I kept pulling my feet away and she kept pulling them back. I teared up and after the session I was nauseous and had a headache. Yes, I knew it was a response to the session, but maybe I would have had a better response had my pain threshold been respected. Feeling crappy for two days just added to my stress to be honest. Her response to my discomfort was to tell me she was hardly touching me. So on top of it all, I felt shame. So being the savvy consumer I am, I never went back to her for a session. I only shared this to point out how much stress can affect a session. When I’m not stressed I love it if someone digs that solar plexus until they almost come out on the dorsal side, love that reflex!
The significant pressure as I said should be individualized for each client. Enough pressure that the client relaxes, their breathing deepens, their colour increases, but not so much that they fall asleep. Yikes, a bunch of you just got your backs up when you read that. Most people these days are living very stressful lives and it usually shows up in the feet. They should be popping those eyes open at least one or two times to mention something is sensitive (hello solar plexus point again). Reflexology is a team sport and your client is part of that team. They need to give you feedback for your charting etc.
A client with stress will definitely have sensitive reflexes and it’s not always the muscular or skeletal system complaining. Some people manifest their stress in their digestive system (constipation and diarrhea) and others may manifest it in their nervous system (insomnia). So the reflexes involved in those systems should talk to you.
Okay, so we’re feeling good about the reasons why we should be applying more pressure. But here is where the fine line comes in. That pressure requirement can change within one session! Let’s give pressure a number and let’s say you generally work at a 3 out of 5 for pressure. The client comes in and you start working on the first foot and they can’t even take the 3, so you adapt and move that number down. You have to, otherwise they remain tensed to experience discomfort and any benefit of the session is greatly reduced. But, because you respected their pain threshold, they started to relax and their body is now moving into a parasympathetic response. This is why your client needs to give you feedback. If you stay below 3 they may fall asleep and the reflexes on the next foot won’t respond to your lower pressure. Check in with the client about pressure throughout the whole session periodically. On top of that the client may come in for one session and feel great and can tolerate a 3+ pressure and a week later may be an entirely different story.
This is also why I am not a fan of short sessions. We’re asking the body to do a lot of work here. Let’s give it time to transition and really kick in that homeostasis response.
If you disagree that’s okay. I am making an effort to be more open-minded about things but as a client of reflexology, this is how I would like to be treated. If you have a strong opinion about this, I suggest you write a blog on your own page.
