03/27/2026
I just gave a first in home reflexology treatment as a hospice volunteer and at the end my client was sharing with me answers in the feedback form.
"The only thing I have to complain about", they said, "is that nobody told me what it was and what to expect. I went online and read the wikipedia page that said reflexology is useless, there is no evidence that it does anything whatsoever. After reading this, I was really disheartened, not sure what to expect. I wish there was more information about how actually wonderful this is"
They then told me how wikipedia article explained that due to the lack of scientific evidence Australian Insurance Companies are not covering reflexology sessions.
This is what struck me and this is likely the key to understand why official websites, like Wiki would put articles like that about alternative holistic medicine in general, not just reflexology. We can draw our own conclusions as of the reasons. Obviously, the studies are very costly and need to be sponsored by someone, so it's always good to look who is behind the research? Who can benefit from it?
Of course, it also needs to be noted, that the reflexology treatment is deeply personalized and individual experience that can evade statistic and rubrics. We can not say with certainty that everyone experiencing certain symptoms will benefit in the same way. There may really not be a way to measure the outcomes, but there is an ongoing research by Barbara and Kevin Kunz on how the brain responds to the reflexology session:
"Neuroscientists witnessed the brain lighting up 'like a Christmas tree' during a groundbreaking research project looking into how reflexology affects the brain" - full article here:
https://barefootholistics.com.au/blog/reflexology-and-the-brain-neuroscientists-blown-away-by-findings
My client was disappointed. Not because the reflexology failed them, on the contrary. They couldn't believe how wonderful it felt and how much energy it released and brought forward. The disappointment came from the fact, that if they had the information about what some of the benefits can be, they'd be booking those sessions ahead of time much earlier.
That is why I wanted to share this experience. Perhaps some of you went online and did your search too and found out the same wiki page. Maybe you thought: oh, it's just a money grab for the naive.
Maybe you would also like to know that there are many people who benefited from reflexology in the ways they didn't even imagined was possible. Those ways are not neatly measured in the science lab, but that doesn't make it any less true. Everyone's experience is different, therefore, we won't know until we try it. Also, as with any holistic modality, try it at least 3 times to see what it can do for you.
On the other hand, there are numerous studies that confirm benefits of reflexology. If you would like to read more, here is the official source from RAC - it can be quite fascinating to discover what the reflexology can do.
As a complimentary therapy, reflexology doesn't treat or diagnose any disease or illness. However, it works as a support for the body, together with other therapies and medical treatments. Why is it not covered by OHIP and not every insurance covers it? Perhaps it is a matter of our preferences, awareness and ability to speak up for our needs. In many countries reflexology is offered at the hospitals as a complimentary treatment.
Reflexology can improve quality of our life and our energy. It can relax, and in that alone is a huge power. I am so glad that Waterloo Region Hospice provides reflexology to clients and caregivers free of charge as a complimentary therapy.
Here is a list of research articles for those who like to dig a bit deeper 🧐 Enjoy:
https://www.reflexologycanada.org/en/reflexology-research/
