Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Professional Therapeutic Reflexology

Lending a Hand to Survivors of TBI

IMG_0524You 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 ChristyIMG_0526 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.

 

A Complication of Paralysis

When people consider what life would be like should they lose the ability to move their limbs, I don’t thing most people think beyond the paralysis. There is no question that life would never be the same, but could anyone ever anticipate some of the other unusual issues that might result?

Michelle Collins, 2013 graduate of the Academy’s Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Certification, recently completed a research study with a young man, quadriplegic since 2002, who, four years ago, suddenly developed abnormal retention of urine.

We invite you to read this well executed and documented study of the effects of reflexology on Uroschesis.

Reflexology for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

The human body is an amazing work of art; perhaps no more evident then in its split-second ability to initiate chemical changes that prepare us to defend against, or avoid, imminent danger. This healthy “fight-or-flight” adaptation of the sympathetic nervous system originates in a part of the brain known as the amygdala, and results in the launch of cascading hormones throughout the entire body, that make it possible for us to perform instinctual, sometimes Herculean, responses to the situation.

With post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) though, this natural reaction has been changed or damaged. People living with PTSD may feel frightened even when danger is not evident.

PTSD can develop following a terrifying experience involving physical, emotional and/or mental harm. The individual with PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, or may have witnessed a harmful event endured by loved ones or even strangers. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, insomnia, anger, depression, substance abuse, self-isolation and/or uncontrollable thoughts of the event. At its worse, PTSD makes it literally impossible to function in the world.

Although many people equate PTSD only in relation to war veterans, it can be triggered from a variety of trauma-inducing ordeals, such as mugging, rape, torture, being kidnapped or held captive, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes.

A fair amount of research has been conducted on the emotional and mental effects of reflexology on those suffering from PTSD. In this study conducted by Academy grad Darlene Torroll, the goal was to investigate whether reflexology could help restore functioning in areas of physical complaint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflexology Produces Startling Results in Rare Condition

Academy  graduate, Ken Cook, has published a case study he conducted with a 55-year old woman suffering from Marfan Syndrome (MFS), an uncommon inherited disorder that affects the connective tissue of the body.

Since MFS weakens the body’s connective tissue, it can affect almost any part of the body, causing a wide variety of symptoms. The most severe complications result from pathologies in the aortic root and ascending aorta, affecting the heart, eyes, blood vessels and skeleton.

People living with MFS tend to be tall, slender, flat-footed, and possessing disproportionately long arms, legs, and digits. However, there are over thirty signs and symptoms associated with MFS thus making it difficult to determine whether a person has the disorder by appearance alone. Signs and symptoms vary greatly even among members of the same family. While some experience only mild effects, others develop life-threatening complications. In most cases the disease tends to worsen with age.

Ken became aware of and interested in the condition through a neighbor who suffered from complications of MFS. After extensive research of all major medical and alternative medicine journals, he discovered that no previous studies involving reflexology and Marfan syndrome had been conducted. That was enough for him, and he set out to see how foot reflexology might affect his neighbor. Read what happened.

 

Chronic Foot Pain – What Else Does It Indicate?

Dr. Ida Rolf, the creator of the original 10-session model of structural integration, once said, “When the body is not supported from below, it will attempt to hang from above.” That is why she devoted the entire second session of her game-changing program to the feet.

I remember being “rolfed” years ago in Toronto, after having been rear-ended in a car accident. The work is truly amazing; however, one of my biggest surprises came when receiving that famous second session on my feet. Although I was accustomed to receiving a lot of foot reflexology, nothing could have prepared me for the results of that session. My feet definitely felt grounded, balanced, open, stable and pain-free – all of which I kind of expected. It was what I felt elsewhere that really got my attention.

Up until that point, I think I considered foot work an enjoyable and effective way in which to support the physiology of the body; I didn’t think much of the effect that reflexology might have on the anatomy other than that of the feet.

Over the years, through trial and error and formal study, I have discovered that much of the suffering that people experience in not only their feet, but the knees, hips and low back, results from a number of irregularities within the lower extremity; conditions such as partial talotarsal misalignment, shortened and/or weak tissue in the feet and/or lower legs, nerve impingement, inappropriate footwear and lack of awareness around self-care.

I am very excited to start sharing what I have learned when it comes to alleviating chronic foot pain caused from bunions, hammertoes, gout, plantar fasciitis, peripheral neuropathy, bone spurs, arthritis, metatarsalgia, tarsal tunnel syndrome, injuries, surgery or just plain over use. The added benefit to clients may be not only relief from foot pain, but perhaps even an improvement in the complaints that occur elsewhere in the lower half of the body. Things can shift dramatically when specific work is done on the feet and/or lower legs, and when individuals make certain changes in their lives. It’s why I go to the feet first!

How to Relieve Chronic Foot Pain will debut in White Rock, British Columbia on August 24 and 25. (White Rock is just a little south of Vancouver, close to the Washington/British Columbia border.) Please note that the discounted tuition fee ends July 1st, so please act now to save yourself a little money! Next offering will be in Rochester, Minnesota on October 5 and 6, 2013.