Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Reflexology Certification Programs and Workshops

Archives for 2012

Plantar Fasciitis and the Horse’s Tail

The spinal cord ends at the lower part of the thoracic spine. It doesn’t actually run through the lower back. The cord originates at the base of the brain, extends down through the bony canal of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae to then branch out into a “horse’s tail” of nerve roots (known as the cauda equina). These nerve roots then innervate all the muscles and organs of the lower half of the body.

Compression on a low back nerve root, either where it exits the spinal column or within a muscle of the hips, legs and/or feet can cause discomfort and pain anywhere along that route. The two nerve roots most commonly pinched in the lower back are L5 and S1. It is the S1 nerve root that can be implicated in plantar fasciitis.

The S1 nerve root and its branches run through 34 muscles. Compression on the nerves can cause weakness, numbness, pain and/or reduced function. In instances where plantar fasciitis has not responded satisfactorily to treatment on just the feet it can be pressure on the S1 nerves holding back full recovery. Releasing compression on the entire S1 nerve root path is often the key.

In the Plantar Fasciitis: Prevention & Protocol workshop, attendees learn a combination of therapist assisted passive and active leg movements to clear nerve compression muscle memory and re-educate the muscles to a balanced state. The release of nerve impingement in the hips and legs is combined with a solid foot component to create a successful treatment for stubborn plantar fasciitis cases. Identifying the problem areas between hip and heel make it possible for the therapist to recommend a custom-designed “homework” package to prevent re-occurence.

Only three opportunities left in 2012:

August 25 & 26 – Saint Augustine, Florida

September 15 & 16 – Guelph, Ontario

September 22 & 23 – Montreal, Quebec

 

So What’s So Bad About Corticosteroids Anyway?

Many people seek out reflexology when they have foot pain from plantar fasciitis, arthritis, gout or other painful maladies. Some of these people may be undergoing corticosteroid treatments, or be considering it, when they show up in your office. Here are some useful facts for you to know before you touch these folks.

Corticosteroids are steroid hormones naturally produced by the body in response to pain and other health imbalances. Cortisone, prednisone, dexamethasone, triamcinolone and methylprednisolone are artificial steroids prescribed to mimic the body’s natural analgesic. Steroids are used to treat many health conditions; this article will focus on their ability to help manage pain by reducing inflammation in tissue.

Although I had heard about steroids for most of my adult life, I really became aware of the positive (and negative) repercussions of steroids, when working with a massage client in the 1990’s. He was middle-aged, 5’6” and really into bodybuilding. He had come to me because of shoulder pain, that I was convinced was a result of his continual attempts at bench-pressing 450 lb of weight. He ignored my advice against lifting so much weight and continued his practice. (The shoulder is not a weight-bearing joint; it’s not meant to bear that much weight.) One day he appeared for his weekly session and stated that his shoulder felt fine – he had had a steroid shot. For a couple of months he reported no complaints, until the pain slowly started to re-appear. He again ignored my advice and had another cortisone shot. This cycle  played out for almost a year, until he had to stop weight-training completely and have major shoulder replacement surgery.

Steroids can be administered orally, topically, through specific site injection, inhalation, or intravenously. Information regarding medications as they relate to medical conditions can be found at drugs.com and mayoclinic.com. These sites provide easy to understand information that you may want to read and pass onto clients considering corticosteroids or other medications. Effects (and this varies according to dosage, type of steroid, length of treatment) can include:

  • a decrease in inflammation by reducing the production of inflammatory chemicals that cause tissue damage. This is good – inflammation causes pain;
  • relief from itching;
  • a decrease in the immune system’s ability to create white blood cells, resulting in a reduced immune function;
  • wakefulness, agitation, nervousness, restlessness;
  • increased appetite and weight gain;
  • a susceptibility to bruising;
  • water retention, swelling;
  • thinner skin;
  • red streaking or spotting of the skin;
  • higher blood pressure;
  • development of blurred vision, cataracts or glaucoma;
  • worsening of or development of diabetes;
  • muscle weakness, myopathy (disease of muscles);
  • osteoporosis.

Reflexologists need to be aware of the specific effects of steroids on tissue and bone so as to design a safe and appropriate level of touch for clients. Pressure, range-of-motion and thermal applications all may have to be adjusted.

High dosage cortisone is the second most common cause of osteoporosis. Steroids inhibit the intestine’s ability to absorb calcium and vitamin D; the body is forced to eliminate these necessary bone-building elements through the urine, resulting in inevitable bone loss. My client mentioned above learned this the hard way.

Although steroids can be very effective as a one-time shot at reducing inflammation resulting from sudden trauma to the tissue, they should not be considered until other avenues of treatment have been exhausted. Repeated use destroys the connective tissue in the body, as my former client sadly discovered.

The key, as I see it, is to reduce the inflammation, discover the true origin of the malady and then correct that. That’s why, when treating plantar fasciitis for example, steroids sit seventh on my list of options.

How do you address pain due to inflammation?

 

Increasing the Efficacy of Thai Foot Reflexology

Thai Reflexology is part of a discipline in Thailand referred to as sacred bodywork. Its origins date back to India, where the ancient art of Ayurvedic medicine held that the feet (and hands) have energy openings to the external world, through which energy enters and leaves the human body. Philosophies from traditional Chinese medicine and the healing arts of Taiwan and Japan affirmed this belief and recognized the profound grounding effect that working on the feet have on both the physical and energy bodies.

Thai reflexology differs from the conventional form mostly practiced in the west in a few ways. One of the most significant is in the map of energy channels throughout the body.

In the western model most often practiced in North America, we refer to 10 longitudinal or vertical zones through which life force moves. Thai bodywork recognizes a system of energy conduits, known as sen, which are said to number 72,000. All start at, or near, the navel and are connected to various orifices in the body. Of those thousands of sen, 10 are considered the most important; six of these are addressed in Thai foot reflexology.

I created the Advanced Thai Reflexology class because many graduates of the Thai Foot Reflexology training were interested in learning more about the qualities of the sen that run through the body parts addressed in the session, as well as which systems of the body they influenced.

In this one-day class, attendees learn the location of the six sen running through the feet and lower legs, the western reflexology points along those lines, the controlling Ayurvedic dosha and Chinese meridian, and health issues and areas of the body affected by contact to these energy channels. This level of comprehension prepares therapists to increase the efficacy of Thai reflexology by targeting health issues more specifically in a client’s session.

Perhaps the most useful (and enjoyable!) part of the day though is the hands-on component. I review all techniques in a full session demo and introduce new ones that can be added to the session. Attention to accurate contact with the sen lines is prioritized. Participants then give and receive a full Thai reflexology session – a perfect opportunity to fine-tune technique and body mechanics with corrective feedback from yours truly!

I invite everyone who has completed the initial two-day training in Thai Foot Reflexology to join me on September 8 for the Advanced Thai Reflexology class. Make a weekend of it and attend the one-day Reflexology & Essential Oils: The Perfect Marriage and Reflexology Rocks! classes as well.

 

Creating Loyalty: Adding Value to a Client’s Experience

Let’s face it; you’d have to have your head in the sand not to recognize that people are more selective these days about how they spend their hard-earned money. In today’s market, even healthcare practitioners must compete for their client’s attention and loyalty. With just a little effort and forethought, you can stand out in the crowd.

A keynote speaker at a spa convention I attended many years ago said something that has always stuck in my mind. He said, “Give your clients a WOW! experience; not just the service they paid for and expect.”

There are lots of ways to deliver a WOW! experience. The ideas that I’ve used over the years seem to fall into two basic categories:

Show Appreciation

Here are some simple ways:

  • As she leaves, hand a client a gift certificate that she can use as she wishes, either for herself or for someone special in her life. (Most people will give it away, allowing you the opportunity to turn someone new onto the benefits of reflexology.)
  • Work your way down your client list and write one thank you note weekly. Do this the old-fashioned way; hand-write on an attractive card and let the postal system deliver. Remember to be specific as to why you feel blessed that this person is in your life.
  • Mail gift certificates to your clients (current and lapsed) the month before their birthdays. Invite them to redeem anytime during their birthday month. Make sure to state how much you appreciate them and their business.
  • When your client goes to pay you for the day’s session, tell them excitedly that they are your 100th appointment (pick a number) of the year/month/week, and that they get that session for FREE! This is the ultimate WOW! experience. Believe me, that client will tell all her friends about you.
  • Offer to host a 2-hour private class (at no cost) for your client and her friends on foot or hand care – in the comfort of her home. Teach them how to use the basic thumb-walking technique of reflexology on themselves.
  • Create a goodie bag of Epsom salts blended with a high quality essential oil and carrier, body scrubber of some sort and a small pretty bottle or jar of the lubricant you use during your sessions – give them away randomly as gifts. Don’t just wait until the end-of-year holidays. Do it “just because”. The surprise element and thoughtfulness far outweigh the small cost of these items.
  • Mail your client an article on something you know interests them. It could be the latest information on a health issue they’re dealing with or some other unrelated subject.

Add-Ons

Before beginning the session, surprise your client. Verbally state how much you appreciate his or her loyalty and as a way to express your gratitude you would like to add something extra special to that day’s session. Here are some examples:

  • Wrap your client’s hands in warm, soothing paraffin before a hand reflexology session, or while receiving foot reflexology. No charge.
  •  If you don’t already do this as standard procedure, begin your foot reflexology session with a soothing soak of Epsom salts and pure essential oils. Use a scrubbie glove to exfoliate. Water not only cleanses; it hydrates and offers a comforting segue from the outer world to the inner.
  •  Place well-wrapped heat packs on your client’s abdomen during your reflexology session. A warm pack on the tummy is divine.
  •  Create a custom-blended lubricant specific to your client’s health needs. Clients really appreciate this and often want to purchase extra to take home with them. Essential oils are absorbed through the feet, delivering the health benefits of the essential oils to the entire body. To learn how to incorporate oils into your foot and hand sessions, the therapeutic properties of essential oils, routes of application, proper dilution and safety guidelines, please join me for a fun and informative one-day hands-on journey into the realm of pure essential oils.
  • Weave stone therapy into your foot or hand reflexology sessions. Adding stones to a reflexology session invites the recipient into such a deep experience of themselves it almost defies definition. A real WOW! experience. In the Reflexology Rocks! class, attendees learn how to safely use hot and cold stones (basalt, marble and soapstone), utilize Himalayan salt crystals to reduce the effects of harmful electro-magnetic frequencies and are introduced to the benefit and placement of quartz crystal stones to balance the seven primary chakras.

Although my clients have been thrilled over the year with their WOW! experiences, I have to admit that I actually feel like I get the bigger WOW! My heart just swells when offering these simple gifts. Try it for yourself.

Reflexology and Essential Oils: The Perfect Marriage: Web listing.  Facebook Events listing.

Reflexology Rocks!: Web listing. Facebook Events listing.

Get Rid of Plantar Fasciitis Once and For All

Six months of enduring foot pain, shoe inserts, night boots, expensive custom-fitted shoes, oral medications, daily exercises, steroid injections (3), cryo-therapy and surgery did little for the desperate and frustrated woman on the other end of my phone. I agreed to see this likable woman, all the while uncertain as to what my approach to plantar fasciitis could accomplish so late in the game.

I was immediately impressed by this woman’s persistence, positive attitude and compliance with the “homework” she had been assigned to treat her stubborn case. After reviewing what she had been faithfully doing on her own, I set out to see what my hands would discover.

The session started with 50 minutes of detailed foot reflexology that she reported, with surprise, relaxed her very much. I then had her shift onto her side (later, her stomach and finally her back) and began the methodical and easy procedures to identify and release constriction within the fascia enervated by the S1 nerve root. Thirty minutes later, the work was completed bi-laterally. All that remained to be seen was the results.

When we talked the next afternoon, she sheepishly said that she felt almost scared to voice how she felt. When I pressed her to say more, she added, “I feel great. I have virtually no pain in my foot, and I’m afraid that I might jinx it if I say so.” She added that she felt one slight “twinge” in her foot during the night, but hardly worth reporting. We agreed to meet two more times within the week.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis develops from overuse and stress on the fascia on the sole of the feet. This results in tissue fatigue and degeneration of collagen leading to micro-tearing in the fascial band and its attachment at the heel. Although the symptoms may first appear only in the heel, the condition affects far more than just the heel of the foot. In the case of this client, we discovered a major contributing factor, and reason why earlier interventions performed only on her feet failed, was that she had significant tightness in certain hip muscles that were impeding proper nerve conduction to her feet. A combination of foot reflexology and the procedure to release S1 nerve entrapment within those muscles broke her cycle of pain. All that was left for her to do to prevent a reoccurrence was to keep the fascia in her lower extremities fluid and strong.

During our second session, I offered a couple of new stretches and strengthening exercises, specific to her body’s needs.

She returned for her third and final session elated. She told me that she has slept through the last few nights without waking up from foot pain – a first since this had all started. After so many other approaches had failed, she admitted having been a little skeptical of what reflexology could do, but agreed to go along with her trusted massage therapist’s recommendation to see me. I was glad to blow that myth for her, and regret only that she hadn’t sought out this service before. She’s off on vacation now with stretches to keep her feet happy, happy!

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that brings many people to see reflexologists. It is a very painful condition that afflicts thousands of people in America and is the most common cause of heel pain for which professional care is sought. Reflexologists (conventional and Thai) and massage therapists can learn how to help people with this debilitating condition in just two days of hands-on training.

Check out the Events page on the Academy’s Facebook page or the Workshops page on the website for details.

Saint Augustine, Florida – August 25 & 26

Guelph, Ontario – September 15 & 16

Montreal, Quebec – September 22 & 23

 

Optimal Learning

What do reflexology, chocolate, wine, good food and outdoor beauty have in common? Well, they all come together to express one of my philosophies about learning. And that is that people learn best when they are relaxed and having fun.

A confession: I like to live my life as a tax deduction. I almost always plan a few days of respite around teaching engagements or trainings I am myself attending. Teach (which barely feels like “work” to me) or study, then play and/or visit with friends – an easy way to keep some balance between work and play in my life.

This year, I planned a special event that incorporates rest and relaxation right into our time together. I added lots of fun (optional) activities (as well as time to just “chill”) into the Thai Foot Reflexology workshop schedule in Dahlonega, Georgia at the end of this month.

So, what do reflexology, giraffes, rocking chairs, the gold rush and spa services have in common? To find out, check out the Thai Reflexology Retreat listing on the Academy’s Facebook Events  page. If you’re not yet on Facebook, then visit this link.

Treat yourself to some well-deserved downtime. Only 18 hours to learn all you need to know to deliver the popular Thai Foot Reflexology session. Thai Reflexology is a great modality for athletes (especially those whose sport challenges the lower extremities), folks with painful feet and the rest of us overwhelmed by life.

 

My Feet Are Killing Me!

How many times have you heard that? From either your own mouth or that of someone you know. Maybe the more accurate statement would be “I’m killing my feet!”

I don’t why I continue to be surprised by the number of people who complain of pain in their feet – but I do. Somehow/somewhere I created this belief that “pain-free peds” are normal/common, even though my nearly 30 years of working with the feet says otherwise.

Canadian reflexologist, Donna Holst came to the same conclusion after hosting an educational day for the public. She scheduled a number of short informative classes on various topics, and was shocked that 80% of respondents were concerned and interested in plantar fasciitis. That caused her to want to learn how to better help these folks. She decided to organize a specific training event for herself and her fellow reflexologists – and that’s how I come to be teaching this important work in Guelph, Ontario in September.

How many people do you know that stuff their feet into poorly designed, ill-fitted shoes, proceed to stand on them hour after hour without rest and then wonder why their feet hurt? (As I was writing that sentence the image of Lady Gaga and her publicity-garnering “shoes” came to mind – a bit of an exaggeration on what many fashionistas wear, but you get the idea.) Or those who suddenly decide to pound the pavement or dance floor for literally miles without preparing and supporting their feet?

Add to those choices tight calves and hips, weak foot muscles, gravity, excess weight and/or prior foot injuries, and you’ve got the ideal set-up for plantar fasciitis.

If you want to learn how you can help the people in your life who suffer with plantar fasciitis, I invite you to join me at one of three remaining workshops this year:

Saint Augustine, Florida – August 25 and 26

Guelph, Ontario – September 15 and 16

Montreal, Quebec – September 22 and 23

 

 

 

An Honor and a New Responsibility

I have just been elected to the governing board of the US national reflexology association! Along with six other professional reflexologists, I will serve as a director of the Reflexology Association of America for a two-year period beginning this summer. I’m eager to be part of the movement to propel reflexology to its next level of professionalism and recognition.

The Reflexology Association of America (RAA) is a non-profit membership organization that aims to advance its members’ interests through public relations, government lobbying efforts, a quarterly magazine and a national referral system for its members. RAA’s next biennial conference will be held in 2014 in Sante Fe, Mexico. I, for one, can hardly wait! Love that part of the country.

American residents: Please consider a RAA membership, if you don’t currently hold one. The fee for practicing professionals is only $50/year; for students and/or schools $30. The more the merrier!

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This is probably as good an opportunity as any to introduce the other various organizations within the field of reflexology. Links to all are on the left side of this page.

On an international level, we have the International Council of Reflexologists. ICR is a membership organization modeled after the United Nations. This means ICR is not incorporated in any country. ICR provides a worldwide forum to share education and ideas through its quarterly e-magazine, biennial conference (2013 scheduled in Johannesburg, South Africa!) and the annual celebration of World Reflexology Week in September.

On a national level, we have three primary organizations in North America; the:

American Reflexology Certification Board. ARCB is a non-profit corporation that acts as a national independent testing and certifying agency in the United States. Its primary objective is to protect the public by certifying the competency of people practicing reflexology on a professional level.

Reflexology Association of America, which I described above.

Reflexology Association of Canada. This is the organization that I was originally trained and certified by, both as a practitioner and reflexology instructor. RAC was incorporated in 1978 as a federally chartered non-profit organization, with by-laws, policies and procedures that regulate the management of the Association. RAC was formed to provide training and educational standards for reflexology in Canada, and to distribute information about reflexology to all interested in the modality.

Most of the states and provinces have state or provincial reflexology organizations as well, with many of them affiliated with the national membership organization. Check the RAA or RAC websites or google “reflexology organization” and your state/province to locate yours.

I hope that all of my readers will consider joining hands (and feet 😀 ) with their fellow practitioners by taking out a membership in their respective organization. Remember: there is power in numbers!

 

Just Starting Out?

Recently, I was asked by the national publication Massage Magazine to write a spotlight on reflexology for massage students. In it, I explain the difference between massage and reflexology, why the public seeks out reflexology, levels of training, employment opportunities and continuing education options. As I was writing the article, I thought the information might also be useful for existing therapists trying to figure out in what direction to focus your practice; how you can stand out in the crowd. What do you think?

Wordle “Feetback”

I love the look of Wordles – the internet toy that allows you to create random “word clouds”. I got into playing with it today and this is what resulted. My first attempt – “feetback” from the foot reflexology workshop from the weekend. What do you think?