As for a possible number of nerve endings on the feet, the latest I came across was 200,000.
I had been looking for a number ever since a clinical psychologist laughed at the number I was told which was 7,200 many years ago. He said it was many many more. I regret not having insisted on a number:-). This was in 2011.
How many? Ha! He is right, of course, I had no doubts, he knew what he was talking about - I respected his work. I remember how curious I was.
For those who have been experiencing reflexology these numbers are not necessarily important because of their experience, the benefits, etc., and not the discussions surrounding it…
The below paragraph was a possible answer for me. This is probably of interest to fellow reflexologists, reflexology trainers, schools. And yea, it is really helpful to connect to our feet and the ground if possible from time to time. I need to to much more of it myself, I live in NYC.
"Geary explains that the nerves in our feet are sensitive (the sole of your foot has over 200,000 nerve endings– one of the highest concentrations in the entire body) for this very reason; they make us safer, more careful, and better able to adapt to the ground beneath us. When barefoot, we are better able to climb, cut, pivot, balance, and adjust rapidly when the ground shifts beneath us, as it does when we walk on uneven terrain, or anything besides concrete and pavement."
As for the significance of the feet related to reflexology, I will keep it simple and use what RAA (Reflexology Association of America) has been using since 2019, the result of a discussion between organizations and practitioners.
Reflexology is a protocol of manual techniques, such as thumb and finger-walking, hook and backup and rotating-on-a-point, applied to specific reflex areas predominantly on the feet and hands. These techniques stimulate the complex neural pathways linking body systems, supporting the body’s efforts to function optimally. The effectiveness of reflexology is recognized worldwide by various national health institutions and the public at large as a distinct complementary practice within the holistic health field.
According to reflexology the feet, hands, ears (face, too, by the way and possibly many other areas) are a microcosm of the entire body and are seen as a gateway to welless. So yes your feet are a representation of your entire body as well as the foundation of your anatomy.
Thank you for your visit and for reading,
Birgit
Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F, she/her
Reflexology & Yoga (chair)
Trauma-Informed Care
🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws
https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf
I may have shared this in an article I contributed to a reflexology newsletter, possibly International Council of Reflexologists (ICR) since I served on their board from 2017-2021.
I wanted to elaborate on the foot-neural pathways wellness connection. These days I often find myself connecting dots. My previous post about bare foot paths (reflexologists like to call them reflexology paths) inspired me to look for it, so voilà.
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