Something Afoot

I would never dismiss an alternative therapy on lack of evidence. For instance, I'd be more than willing to try acupuncture if I thought it might help in any way. Hypnotherapy is based on scientific evidence that the power if suggestion can have a profound effect on the unconscious mind, so I'd give that a go for sure. Reflexology, however, is another matter.

I suffered with a bit of shoulder ache recently - most likely from hours sitting at a desk all day and using a mouse - and a reflexologist was offering sessions in a room downstairs at work. As open-minded as I am, I thought it would be worth a go.

Reflexology is supposed to work on the principle that each part of your foot relates to a part of your body - so your big toe is your kidney, the heel of your foot is your heart, and your little toe is your ear-lobe. Or something along those lines.

The session consisted of the reflexologist prodding parts of my foot fairly hard until she found a 'sensitive spot', asking me all the while:

"Does this hurt?"
"No"
"What about this?
"No"
"This?"
"No"

This went on for a few minutes until she pressed on a bit of my foot particularly hard. "Ooh, yes" I said, "that' bit's sensitive just there".

"Ah, well, that's your liver"
"Really?"
"Yes - do you drink a lot?"
"No"
"What about your kidneys - any problems there?"
"No"
"Heart?"
"No"
"Breathlessness?"
"No"
"Back pain?"
"No"
"Shoulder pain?"
"Well, yes a bit actually"
"Hmm, I thought so."

By process of elimination and sheer determination she finally got to my complaint - and it's probably something that 80% of office workers suffer from.

Personally I'm not convinced, but at least it was quite a nice foot massage.