Virtual Reflexology

What is it and does it work?

Virtual or Distance Reflexology is where you do reflexology from a distance, either using visualisation, your own feet or something else as surrogate (such as a teddy) The recipient lies down somewhere comfortable and relaxes whilst the treatment happens.

My initial thoughts on virtual reflexology

When I first heard of Virtual Reflexology I was skeptical. Didn’t you need to be there in person to give and receive Reflexology? Reflexology by its very nature is normally very much a hands on treatment. That said, reflexology does have an element of energy healing and I know that we’re all interconnected energetically. The more I heard about virtual reflexology the more intrigued I got. I thought the best way to find out whether something works or not would be to give it a go and see for myself.

Results from other reflexologists were positive

Other reflexologists offering it had been having great results, despite some of them not being on the same continent. So when I was given the opportunity to try it for myself I jumped at the chance.

I figured that I was really missing having reflexology treatments and couldn’t have one for the forseeable future and the worst that could happen would be that I felt nothing and I’d have enjoyed half an hour locked away in a darkened room listening to calming music on my own massage couch!

The Treatment

In preparation for the treatment I sent photographs of my feet to Brenda the reflexologist who was doing my treatment. We agreed a day and a time. Ten minutes before my treatment I popped to the loo, had a glass of water, turned on my soft music and climbed on my couch. I’d not had chance to use my massage couch since I bought it just before lockdown (and it’s always useful to see as a client how your own couch feels). So I snuggled under my own blanket and settled back for my treatment.

What I felt

At first I felt my feet tingle a little bit (but in a good way) then it felt like someone was holding both feet. If you’ve ever experienced reiki or distance reiki it felt a bit like that. The feeling you get when someone is hovering their hands over your feet. It felt safe, warm, very calming.

I couldn’t feel any specific pressure like I would normally do with a hands-on reflexology treatment, apart from at one point when I felt a very similar sensation to having my spine reflex worked on. (To those of you who are not trained in reflexology this is the inner edge of the foot from the tip of the toe to the heel) My knee also twinged at one point (it felt positive, like energy was shifting from the tip of my toe to my hip) At one point in my treatment I got a vivid picture in my minds eye of a lampost. It reminded me of the time I was so busy reading a letter whilst walking down the street that I walked into a lampost. Maybe there’s some message in that somewhere!

What I saw

The virtual reflexology treatment took about 30 mins. Towards the end of the treatment I got a sense that it was the end of the treatment (I saw in my minds eye a picture not dissimilar to the ‘meetings ended by host’ notification that you get when you end a zoom call. ) and the feeling of someone holding my feet went.

Brenda and I had a chat after the treatment had ended, I felt that I needed a cup of tea so quickly went and got one before speaking to Brenda about what we’d both experienced.

The Results

This afternoon following the treatment I felt exactly how I normally do after a hands-on treatment, as well as needing an afternoon nap and feeling unusually peckish. I also got a little emotional as I was walking round the supermarket.

I really enjoyed my treatment and am looking forward to experiencing it from the other end of the couch next week.

Have you tried Virtual Reflexology? If so what did you think?

Please leave me a reply in the comments below.

Reflexology Aftercare Advice

Here is some simple aftercare advice to use after your reflexology treatment. This will maximise the effects of your treatment and minimise the potential for a healing response

Stay Hydrated

After your reflexology treatment it is vital to stay hydrated. The best way to do this would be to sip some mineral water throughout the day or drink herbal teas or light fruit juices. Try not to glug it down quickly. It seems to work better if you sip it. If you don’t like water so much, try adding a slice of lime or lemon (or both) to it.

Avoid Stimulants

Avoid stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs and enjoy a quiet afternoon if you can.

Enjoy a light diet

Enjoy a light diet for the rest of the day, avoiding spicy foods or anything too greasy that may put extra strain on your digestive system. A simple, nourishing soup or a piece of lightly poached fish and rice would be perfect after a treatment.

Keep a journal or diary

It might help to keep a journal or diary, noting down how you felt after treatment and if there is anything that came up for you after the treatment.

Whatever comes up for you, let it out. Don’t try to bottle it or keep it down, just let it pour out. Get it down on paper to release it

Emotional things you might feel after a treatment

Sometimes you can feel emotional, irritable or a weepy after a treatment, or suddenly burst into fits of uncontrollable giggles.

These are all normal but it’s worth noting down how you feel, especially if your next appointment is a month away! I ask how you were after your previous treatment when you have your next treatment and it’s so easy to forget these things if you don’t write them down.

Physical things you might notice after your treatment

Hopefully you will feel better after your treatment!

However sometimes you find that you feel a range of other things after your treatment.

You might notice that you need to use the loo more one way or the other, you might need to go more urgently, or notice a change in the consistency of your faeces. You might feel light headed or headachey

You might have mild flu-like symptoms or notice that whatever pain or symptom you came to your appointment with suddenly gets worse. Usually if this happens it will equally suddenly get a lot better too.

Usually these kinds of symptoms pass in 24-48 hours and are generally not very severe. However if they are severe or last longer than 48 hours please do contact your medical team and seek medical advice.

If you do experience any of these symptoms it normally helps to sip more water and be gentle to yourself, resting quietly if possible. 

Related Article

https://www.sarahcooper.co.uk/make-the-most-of-your-reflexology-treatment/

Can I have Reflexology if I have Diabetes?

In very simple terms, yes you can have reflexology if your diabetes is well-managed and fairly stable with no additional complications.

Diabetes presents in different ways in different people so it’s important that we take a holistic approach, look at what is happening for you as an individual, consider how your diabetes is managed and take a sensible, balanced view. 

Complications of Diabetes which may mean you either can’t have a treatment or have a slightly adapted treatment

There are, however a few complications of diabetes what would mean that you wouldn’t be able to have a treatment or that the treatment would have to be adapted in some way.

Thin, Dry, Brittle skin that breaks easily

If you have very dry, thin, brittle skin that is prone to cracking there is a risk of the skin cracks allowing bacteria to get in. As one of the symptoms of diabetes is to have skin that is slow to heal, it would be inadvisable to have reflexology as we don’t want to increase the chance of infection.

Leg Ulcers

Also if you have leg ulcers these will be very sore so foot reflexology would not be possible, unless the feet and lower legs are unaffected. It may be possible to offer Facial Reflexology instead. 

Peripheral Neuropathy

If you have peripheral neuropathy (lack of feeling in your extremities including feet) then a lighter treatment might be offered, or in severe cases it may not be possible to offer a treatment.

Fungal Infections including Fungal Nail Infections

If you have a fungal infection including fungal nail infection then you will not be able to have a treatment until it has cleared up.

Gangrene of the legs or feet

If you have gangrene of the legs or feet then Reflexology is definitely contraindicated. 

What should I do before my Reflexology treatment if I have diabetes? 

Before your reflexology treatment, take your blood sugars. If you need to adjust them then do so. 

It is useful to have to hand whatever remedies you would normally use to re-balance your blood sugars so that if you do notice a change following your treatment you can quickly and easily adjust them. 

You are the expert and know what works for you! Whilst it is fairly unlikely one treatment would make a big change, it’s worth noticing.

What should I do after my treatment? 

It would be a good idea to take your blood sugar levels again, just to double check that there has been no change to them. If there has been a change, then adjust them as you would normally do. 

It is also vital to follow the usual Reflexology Aftercare Advice of drinking plenty of water, resting, avoiding stimulants like caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods, and having a gentle stroll after dinner if you can.

Can Reflexology have a positive effect on diabetes?

Reflexology has a known effect on lowering stress levels. Studies have found that lowering stress levels can have a positive impact on blood sugar levels. So anything that would help you keep calm and less stressed has to be a good thing. 

Reflexology is great for calming and creating a space and time just for you. It is also good for boosting the circulation. Circulation problems often go hand in hand with diabetes so again, Reflexology may be of benefit if you have diabetes. 

I’ve not had a Reflexology treatment before, should I do anything different?

If you have not had reflexology before having a shorter, lighter treatment might be a good idea. Once you see how you feel after your treatment we can build up to full sessions. This can allow you to see if you have any healing responses to the treatment and to ensure that the pressure is at the correct level for you.

Medical Emergency Plan

If necessary, we may complete a Medical Emergency Plan for those of you who have hypoglycemic events or who need specific help in case of emergency. This is a simple form which needs filling in at the first appointment stating what you’d like me to do should you have a hypo etc. This is very straightforward and give us both peace of mind that if you do have a hypo (or other diabetes related crisis) I will have an action plan on a piece of paper attached to your notes that I can refer to to get you the help you need when you need it! 

Keep Calm and Carry On!

Having regular Reflexology treatments can help maintain your stress levels. Reflexology has a cumulative effect and so if you have a course of treatments or a monthly treatment booked in the diary these will all start building up with a greater effect than just having one treatment. 

Over a period of time you *may* be able to alter your treatment, under the guidance of your GP if your blood sugar levels start to lower. (This will need to be carefully monitored and adjustments made by your GP as necessary) Everyone reacts to Reflexology in a different way, so there is of course no guarantees.

Related Article:

Please read my article ‘What is Diabetes’ for more information about the different types of Diabetes.

For Further Information and Advice about Diabetes 

If you need further information about Diabetes please go to www.diabetes.org.uk and www.diabetes.co.uk

 Things to consider when choosing a good Reflexologist

 A good reflexologist will be well trained, insured, take regular CPD (additional training to make them a better therapist) and be a good listener. They also need to be adaptable, intuitive and be able to think on their feet. They need to be understanding and kind as well as approachable.

Where do you start looking for a good reflexologist?

Firstly I’d ask amongst friends. They might go to a reflexologist in your area or might have heard great things about one of their friend’s reflexologists. 

If they don’t know of anyone, try looking on a professional register. For Reflexology the Association of Reflexologists Find a Reflexologist Search is a good place to start.

Do they have membership of a Professional Organisation?

Being a member of a professional organisation ensures that the therapist has to keep updating their skills and knowledge so that year on year they become a better therapist.

They also have to agree to abide by a code of conduct and be of good character. Look out for people with initials like M.A.R or M.F.H.T or MCThA after their names. 

This means that they have got a membership of a professional organisation and have had to prove that they are fully qualified and insured in order to join.

Some of the health insurance companies will give you a refund on your treatment fee if the therapist is a member of a professional organisation. It is worth checking with your insurance if this is the case and if so which associations they are looking for. 

Are they on a professional register or in a Find a Reflexologist Search? 

The Association of Reflexologists have a Find a Reflexologist facility (which will bring up a list of the members in your area) Here is my listing 

Word of Mouth

If you have friends in the local area, ask for recommendations. A friend may have already found a great Reflexologist. It would be worth giving them a call and seeing if they’re right for you. 

Check out Reviews both on Google or Facebook.

Good therapists tend to get Reviews on either Google My Business or on their Facebook Page. Check these out to see if you can get a feel for how the therapist operates and what sort of  person they are. Here is my Reviews Page

Check out their Social Media and Website, Read their Blog Posts

It can help to get a feel for what kind of person the therapist is by checking out their social media presence on Facebook and Instagram. If they have a mailing list maybe sign up to that, again so you can start the process of getting to know them. It’s important to get a sense of whether you’d get on on a personal level. 

Listen to your gut!

At the end of the day the most important thing is to listen to your gut feeling. You need to feel safe and comfortable in the presence of your therapist so it helps if you get to know them on some level before booking your appointment. I believe that the therapist you choose has to feel right. It may take a few different treatments with a few different therapists until you find the right one for you.

Good luck! Please let me know how you chose your therapist in the comments below.

Stories the feet can tell 

Reflexology is fascinating and the more I do reflexology, the more fascinated I am by it. One of the first things a Reflexologist does at the beginning of a Reflexology treatment is to make some observations of the feet. 

Here are some of the stories the feet can tell 

How the feet are presented can indicate how relaxed the client is. If it’s the clients first treatment and they’re anxious the feet can be close together. This is known as a closed position. If the client is very relaxed the feet may be fairly wide apart. If I see that my client has a very closed posture I will use lots of relaxation techniques in my opening sequence. This should help them relax and settle into the treatment.

Arches

The positioning of the arches of the feet can tell us all kinds of things. If the arch of the foot is very high it could indicate that the client has either spent a lot of time wearing high heels or it could mean that they have some back pain, amongst other things. 

Spine and Back Problems

The side of the foot running down from the big toe is the spine reflex region. Often when a client has been suffering from back pain there is a distinct tightness or bend in the foot in a place that correlates to the painful area. Sometimes one foot can be a completely different shape to the other one, again this is of great interest to reflexologists.

Other signs we look out for

Hard skin and sock fluff tends to fascinate Reflexologists way more than it should do!

One thing that many of my clients have commented is that they feel they need a pedicure before they come for a treatment. It’s absolutely not the case. We can tell a lot about what might be happening for the client by seeing where there are areas of hard skin, corns and calluses.
Hard skin often forms over an area that is imbalanced, as a form of protection. 

Hard skin can also form where there has been contact with footwear. Often hard skin will form on the same area of both feet, especially when foot wear has been rubbing.

Sock fluff can also gather over reflexes that need re-balancing. So don’t be too quick to rub it all off before your treatment! Most Reflexologists will refresh the clients feet with either wipes or hot towels or offer a foot spa if applicable, so there really is no need to worry about sock fluff before your appointment

Redness

Areas of redness can mean a range of things, often anger and frustration but can also mean that you’ve been wearing footwear that have caused your feet to press down in an uncomfortable way. This is especially true of high heeled shoes where the bulk of the weight is on the ball of your feet. This can cause your feet to sting.

Pregnancy

In pregnant clients there is often a small bump over the uterus reflex too, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. (This is really interesting to see!)

Whatever your feet look like chances are we will have seen it all before and you really needn’t worry! 

What stories do you think your feet would tell me about you?

Please let me know in the comments below.

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