Academy of Ancient Reflexology
Professional Therapeutic Reflexology
I’m about to debut two short classes, one for people who live with foot pain and the other with headaches. Both classes, part of a series I call “SELFcare is HEALTHcare”, will go beyond teaching specific reflexology techniques to define causes, and offer holistic approaches and resources to manage or mitigate these afflictions. Both classes are suitable for the layperson.
What would you name these classes?
Smart reflexologists are vigilant about protecting their hands, both during sessions and while involved in other activities. Staying mindful of one’s body mechanics and the ergonomics of the work environment are important if we want to eliminate the possibility of hurting our trusty hands. Afterall, our hands are our “tools”!
The joint in the hand where most force is concentrated when giving reflexology is the carpometacarpal joint (CMC). This is where the first metacarpal bone articulates with the trapezium bone. For every pound of force applied at the end of the thumb, there are 10 to 12 pounds exerted on this joint. Osteoarthritis, a common affliction in weight-bearing joints, can easily develop in the CMC joint of overused thumbs.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to ensure that this doesn’t happen. (I, for one, have been doing reflexology since 1983 and massage therapy since 1989, and have never had problems with my hands.)
To begin with, anytime you are performing small, precise movements in bodywork – as one does in reflexology – your ideal position is seated, with the table at or just above elbow height. Anything lower, over time, will cause problems in the hands and especially the CMC joint.
When applying pressure to reflexology points, keep a straight alignment through the thumb, first metacarpal bone through to the radius. You especially want a strong alignment at both the interphalangeal joint of the pollex (thumb) and the first metacarpalphalangeal joint. Become ambidextrous, using both hands during a session, and your fingers as well as your thumbs.
When applying pressure with the fingertips, you can reduce your risk of injury by using several fingers together, bracing one hand with the other, keeping your wrists straight and avoiding extension of the finger joints.
Other self-care tips:
If you text, read this.
Do you text? Do you text a lot? If you’re under a certain age, you probably do. Afterall, you’re of the generation that was sprung from your mother’s womb clutching a smart phone, those cute little thumbs flapping in the breeze!
Hand injuries reported from texting are growing – a lot; enough so to have earned their own acronym: TMI (in this case, “text message injury”, not “too much information”). The popularity of this method of communication is causing alarming repetitive strain injuries to the tendons and muscles of the thumb. That’s NOT good. The thumb is involved in about 40% of your hand’s functioning!
In the Reflexology for the Hands workshop, participants learn how to give a relaxing and therapeutic session of reflexology, and maybe more importantly, how to take care of the hands and wrists through ergonomics, body mechanics, stretching, strengthening and more. With the rise in carpal tunnel syndrome and TMI, this may just be the most important workshop you could attend – for yourself and your business.
SOME FACTS:
– More than 5 billion text messages are sent every day.
– 40% of “texters” suffer from repetitive strain injuries to their hands.
– Americans text more than they talk on the phone.
– American teens text 60 – 100 times a day.
That says to me that there are a lot of folks out there that could use some good hand therapy! Are you one of them? Or do you know someone who texts and types a lot?
When texting, the muscles of the thumb are held in an almost constant state of contraction. Oxygenated blood can’t get in and metabolic waste deposits can’t get out, resulting in sore muscles. The scarier risk though is to the CMC joint (the carpal metacarpal joint), the most vulnerable joint in the hand. Texting places even more force on this joint than typing! (I’ll post something tomorrow about protecting the thumbs and fingers when doing reflexology.)
Those first symptoms of achiness, tingling and/or numbness should not be ignored. They can lead to more serious conditions such as tendonitis, trigger thumb (when the tendons shrink to hold the thumb in a permanent curl) and/or deQuervain’s disease (a debilitating condition involving the tendons of the extensor pollicis brevis and the abductor pollicis longus, the two muscles that extend the thumb). In some cases, surgery is even necessary.
GUIDELINES FOR TEXTERS:
– Stretch arms, hands and digits throughout the day.
– Strengthen forearm muscles.
– If your hands hurt, ice them as often as you can throughout the day.
– Use both thumbs to text.
– Watch your posture: spine straight, shoulders down and relaxed.
– Place phone on a hard surface to text.
– Restrict texting to 3 minutes or less at a time.
– and for God’s sake, take a break, especially if you feel discomfort in your hands!
Take a minute to think of all that your hands do for you. Our hands “grab hold of life”, thus relaxed, strong and pain free hands make it easier to eagerly reach out and grasp what life has to offer. Start a love affair with your hands and those of your family and clients. Learn hand reflexology!
We all know that lubricants moisturize, soothe and seal tissue. Do you know that they can also “feed” your feet with beneficial nutrients? We’ll look at three common ones here: an oil, a butter and an ester.
Castor Oil:
Castor is a pure vegetable oil obtained from the seed of the castor plant, and in its natural state is a pale yellow liquid with a mild odor (as opposed to the adulterated, “stripped-clean” white version often found in drugstores).
Castor has long been recognized for its ability to soothe dry, cracked tissue. A high preponderance of ricinoleic acid (a powerful anti-inflammatory) makes it a perfect remedy for red, itchy feet and undecylenic acid, another active ingredient in castor oil, is widely acknowledged as an effective anti-fungal treatment. Last, but not least, castor oil has been proven to have analgesic (pain-reducing) effects, according to a study published in the Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery.
Jojoba
Although often referred to as an oil, jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba) is actually a liquid ester wax derived from the seed of the Simmondsia chinensi plant. What makes jojoba particularly sweet to work with is the fact that its molecular structure closely resembles that of the body’s own sebaceous secretions and therefore absorbs easily into the skin. It contains high amounts of the alpha, delta and gamma tocopherols, natural forms of the anti-oxidant Vitamin E. It is non-allergenic and non-comedogenic (does not clog pores), and because it contains no fragile triglycerides, which easily break down and oxidize, jojoba does not go rancid or stain linens. I love it.
Shea Butter
This luscious butter – another of my faves – is cold-processed from the seed of the karite tree (Butyrospermum parkii). In addition to being a great moisturizer, one attribute for which it is highly reputed is that of soothing conditions of heat in the tissue, such as eczema, psoriasis, diaper rash, dermatitis and burns (including sun-damaged skin). The list of benefits of this traditional African-derived butter is a lengthy one.
Pure shea butter is pale yellow in color. Beware of white shea butters; they have been treated with hexane (a toxic solvent) to remove both color and the butter’s natural nutty scent. Shelf life is a minimum of one year.
Quality
If you add up the number of times in a day that you put lotions and creams on your hands – you will realize the importance of using chemical-free products. Always purchase organic. You’re worth it.
If you add essential oils to your carrier, choose GC/MS tested oils so you know what you’re getting. Choose oils specific to whatever condition is being presented and you will have a doubly powerful adjunct to your hands-on work.
What do you massage into your clients’ feet at the end of a reflexology session?
In the post I published on Friday, February 10 regarding weight loss, I mentioned that, although there was no magical reflex point that could guarantee weight loss, there are points to work that will support and aid someone’s efforts to reach their ideal weight.
What it comes down to is determining what the main reason is for the weight problem. Below is a list of some imbalances that can result in weight issues, and the reflexes on which to focus your sessions:
– Hormone imbalance – endocrine glands;
– Digestion – stomach, small intestine, gallbladder, pancreas and small intestine;
– Elimination – large intestine;
– Stress (Stress is a big reason for weight gain and weight loss. People either reach for comfort foods to fill their bodies with good-feeling dopamine or stop eating.) – adrenal glands, the central nervous system, solar plexus and diaphragm;
– Motivation to move/exercise – adrenals and kidneys (The kidneys control our will and drive.);
– Physical pain – muscles involved;
– Chronic illness – lymph, liver, kidney and adrenals
– Depression- central nervous system and kidneys
Oh yes, and remember the water!
It seems everywhere I turn these days I am confronted by red, half-shut, puffy eyes and stuffed up noses. Even folks not usually bothered with spring allergies are complaining this year. Since I have never been plagued by seasonal allergies – and do not want to be – I decided a few weeks back to take things in my own hands. Here’s my successful three-prong method to keep the airwaves clear:
First off, I work all the sinus reflexology points daily, either on my hands or my feet, or sometimes even both. Throughout the day, I just grab a hand and spend a few minutes applying the press ‘n roll technique; or in the evening sometimes I work these points on my feet while relaxing on my sofa. I also hook & press the eye reflexes (some people call this technique “hook & back-up”) and work the cervical lymph node and adrenal reflexes as well.
I also work two Chinese meridian points, one on the face, the other on the hands. I generally hold each of these points for about 30 seconds at a time, aiming for three or four times a day. The points are:
• Large Intestine 4 (LI4). This is known as the “master pain elimination point”, and a well-known one to work when you have a headache. It is also used to address red painful eyes and nasal congestion. It’s located on the dorsal side (top) of both hands, in the fleshy tissue between the thumb and index finger. Do not work this point if you are pregnant.
• LI20 is located on the face, level with the bottom of your nostrils, both sides. It’s in the groove that is formed there when you smile. Great point for nasal congestion and discharge, loss of sense of smell, sneezing and itchy eyes.
The last item in my arsenal is a wonderful new product that I discovered, called Xlear. It is a saline solution combined with grapefruit seed extract and xylitol – nothing else – that is administered with a spray inhaler. Xylitol has the ability to prevent bacteria and other microbes from attaching to nasal mucous membranes; grapefruit seed extract is an excellent anti-microbial, and of course, salt cleans out the nasal passages. Non-addictive and much easier to use than a Neti pot. As a prophylactic, I use Xlear every night before heading to bed. Everyone with allergies that I have recommended this to has been more than pleased by the results.
For those of you who are currently suffering with nasal allergies you might also consider doing hot steam inhalations with essential oils of one or two of the following: cypress, eucalyptus dives, Siberian fir, rosemary ct. camphor or tea tree. You only need two or three drops total of essential oil in a hot bowl of water. Place a towel over your head and the bowl (creating a tent) and inhale for a few minutes. Do at least twice a day.
I know the conventional recommendation is to shut up your house during allergy season, but I just can’t make myself do that! It’s spring and the air is full of singing birds and warm, gentle breezes. Besides, allergy season provides a great incentive to do some work on myself every day!
Do you have any other proven natural remedies to share with our allergy-suffering friends?
I travel and teach a lot, and there has never been a class where at least a few people don’t complain of chronic pain in some part of their musculoskeletal body. I am constantly correcting postures that place hands and backs in the most vulnerable of positions. I cringe when I think that, without awareness and correction of their body mechanics, compassionate and well-intentioned people will leave the profession they love and trained for because of injury – and it’s all preventable!
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