A brief history

Reflexology can be dated back to ancient Egypt where historical evidence shows a pictograph in a tomb. This dates back to 2500 BC and shows people working on the hands and feet.

Modern day reflexology in the west was developed in the 19th century by a number of physicians, including Dr William Fitzgerald in 1913. He worked on zone therapy, with the idea that the body is divided into 10 zones, and that by using direct pressure upon any part of a particular zone could have an anaesthetising effect on another part of the body in the same zone.

Dr Joe Shelby Riley refined the zone theory concept further, by working out reflex points on the feet, hands and ears. He employed a young physiotherapist named Eunice Ingham who developed Rileys techniques, but moved away from zone therapy to focus more on reflex points. She renamed the therapy, “Reflexology” and trained the general public to practice for themselves. Eunice Ingham became known as the “Mother of Reflexology”.