200.000 Nerve Endings in the Feet and Reflexology

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 do this much more. 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

http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/02/29/why-kids-should-go-barefoot-more-and-probably-adults-too/

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. 

Is the Term “Reflex” Integral to Reflexology?

Is the term reflex integral* to Reflexology?

Somewhere in the US, reflexologists are not allowed to use the word reflex.  I would  like to suggest to our community to draw the line here for possible future definitions and consider standing our ground.

What Reflexology is allowed to be “defined” as depends to a very large degree on what legislators are told by parties outside the field of reflexology (lobbyists) making sure reflexology does not infringe on their field, their lingo and it has gotten pretty weird for the lack of a better word.

Reflexology yes, but reflexes no? - So what is reflexology?

One of the words NOT to be used by reflexologists somewhere around the US is the word reflex, and that is why it is not part of the new RAA (Reflexology Association of America) definition.  I totally understand where RAA is coming from; RAA wants to cover all states because it represents all states.

Whomever this is coming from it seems like telling a surgeon not to use the word surgery or a pet groomer not to use the words grooming and pet, just saying.
So “neural pathways” it is according to the new RAA definition, which means that I personally will have to undo fifteen years of using the term "reflex" which may result in new neural pathways by calling the “lung reflex” “neural pathways to the lungs.”  Neural is very 21st century which is in a way good.  Or “reflection of the lung” will be another option as is “neural representation of the lungs”.  When we work on the feet because they are at one end of the body, it is really nerve endings that we hit which are nevertheless part of a pathway (see below definition).

So what is a definition for neural pathway? 
Neural pathway: noun
technical: a series of connected nerves along which electrical impulses travel in the body 

(“Neural pathway.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neural%20pathway. Accessed 25 November 2019)And here is the Reflexology Association of America’s current definition of Reflexology:Reflexology, an integrative health practice, maps a reflection of the body predominately on the feet, hands and outer ears. It uses unique manual techniques to deliver pressure to neural pathways assisting the body to function optimally. (2019)”*
Nostalgically, I dug out my old NYSRA (stress) foot for this post which by the way says: “Reflexology..... promoting wellness” that lingo still works.  

NYTimes Article 11/26-comment on massage vs. reflexology

The New York Times published my comment (#61) made with respect to the article In a Land of the Aging, Children Counter Alzheimer's, one of yesterday's features.  There is a video to go with it and there are an additional 66 readers' comments.
I suggested that what was referred to as foot massage seemed to be Reflexology.  I had read the  entire article which is extensive and very interesting, however, the word Reflexology was not mentioned at all.

What I did come across was this: During one massage session, 16-year old Oh Yu-mi rubbed a patient's toes, saying: "I am doing the heart".  The heel is the reproductive system, it will help them excrete better."  What I am aiming at now is the definition of Reflexology.   

This is the definition of Reflexology as per NYSRA (New York State Reflexology Association) http://www.nysraweb.org/

What is Reflexology?

Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques.  It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that mirror the image of the body on the hands and feet with the premise that such work promotes a physiological change within the body.

Please, note the underlined part reflex areas that mirror the image of the body on the hands and feet.  Oh Yu-mi may not be familiar with reflexology terminology but the poin to him is that the foot is more than the foot, he actually sees the entire body mirrored on the feet and that is what is different from massage (the technique is also different by the way); Oh Yu-mi sees a heart (reflex) on the foot and a reproductive system (reflex).   And that was the point I was,  making.  That is Reflexology - no doubt!