You never know where your actions may take you. One small step may lead to BIG outcomes. That proved true for Academy grad John Guinta who submitted an article entitled Stress Relief Is In Your Hands to the Jacksonville, Florida Natural Awakenings magazine in August 2013. That single act resulted in one of the more profound and surprising research studies done to date utilizing hand reflexology.
John’s short article, meant to interest the public in receiving hand reflexology, caught the attention of a staff member of Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville, Florida. The Clubhouse operated by Brooks Rehabilitation is the only facility of its kind in Florida. It runs a full-time day program offering a range of innovative activities designed to help individuals who have experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) reclaim their lives.
A phone call from this forward-thinking employee resulted in a 12-week formal study that assessed the therapeutic value of hand reflexology in improving functional fine motor skills in six people who are living with the challenging repercussions of a TBI.
Following a careful selection process, the study proceeded with pre- and post-study evaluations performed by Christy Ruggiero, certified reflexologist and licensed occupational therapist, and weekly 45-minute hand reflexology sessions performed by John Guinta and Ken Cook, both Academy-certified hand and foot reflexologists and Florida-licensed massage therapists.
I hope you will take a moment to read this outstanding study and congratulate John, Ken and Christy for their pioneering study, the first ever to approach the challenges of people living with TBI with hand reflexology. I am proud and excited for the results, and hope that the future holds the possibility of teaching victims of TBI how to provide the healing benefits of hand reflexology to themselves.