Egypt: The oldest documentation depicting the practise of Reflexology was found in Egypt. The picture was found in a physicians tomb (Ankmahor) dated around 2330 BC. It shows darker skinned men working on the feet of 2 lighter skinned men. The hieroglphic reads:- Patient- "Do not hurt me". Practitioner- "I shall act so you praise me".
India and China: It is said that in India and China some 5000 years ago pain relief was practised by using certain pressure points. Acupuncture and Acupressure is thought to have come from this beginning and with the reflex zones then used developing into meridians (energy channels used in Acupuncture and Acupressure).
American Indians: Have used reflex pressure applied to the feet as a healing therapy for maintaining physical, mental and spiritual balance for many generations and they still use it for pain relief.
Europe: In Europe, as far back as the 14th century, a form of Reflexology or pressure therapy was practised by the working classes and also by physicians who treated the upper classes and royalty of the day. Dr Adamus and A'tatis wrote a book on the subject of zone therapy that was published in 1582.
American: William Fitzgerald 1872-1942: was an ear, nose and throat specialist, but is also known as the Founder of Zone Therapy.
In the early 1890's he noticed that by applying direct pressure on certain parts of the body he could produce an analgesic effect in a corresponding part of the body. In some cases he notes no actual anaesthesia was needed before or during surgery if pressure was applied using rubber bands on the middle section of each finger and small clamps applied to the finger tips.
Fitzgerald systemised the body into zones which he used for anaesthetic application. By putting pressure on different parts of the body he learnt which parts of the body would be affected and from this he developed the Ten Longitudinal Zones which we use in Reflexology today.
Dr Joseph Riley: and his wife refined the techniques further and made the first detailed diagrams and drawings of the reflex points located on the feet.
His first book 'Zone therapy simplified' was published in 1919.
Eunice Ingham 1879 - 1974: First worked as a research assistant for Riley and then went on to separate the work of zone therapy into the reflexes of the feet and eventually made a map of the entire body on the feet.
Eunice Ingham is now recognised as the Founder or Mother of Modern Reflexology.
Eunice wrote many books on the subject including 'Stories that feet can tell' in 1938 and 'Stories that feet have told' in 1963.
Doreen Bailey: Was a student in America under Eunice Ingham and when she qualified she returned to England in 1966 and became the pioneer of Reflexology in this country and published her first book 'Reflexology today' in 1975.
Renee Tanner: At first trained as a nurse and then went onto study Beauty Therapy, Holistic Massage and Aromatherapy.
Renee has always been fascinated by feet and after receiving Reflexology from Doreen Bailey for her sciatica, Renee went on to study and practise Reflexology and in 1988 Renee opened the International Federation of Reflexology organization.