HISTORY OF REFLEXOLOGY

The most concrete evidence of the practice of reflexology in ancient culture was the discovery of this wall painting depicting the practice of hand and foot reflexology in the tomb of Ankhmahor (highest official after the Pharaoh) at Saqqara, which is also known as the physician's tomb. This Egyptian wall painting is dated to the 6th dynasty, about 2330 B.C. Prior to this discovery, it was widely believed that reflexology had ancient origins and frequent conjecture was made about its relationship to and development alongside the ancient Oriental practices of shiatsu and acupuncture. Some historians believe that Oriental medicine evolved from Ayurvedic medicine practiced in India. Similarly, North and South American Indian medicine men are believed to manipulate and stimulate the feet as a part of their healing practice. 

As information is gathered it seems that variations of the modern practice of reflexology existed in all of the ancient healing cultures. In our western culture, one of the earliest books to be written on reflexology was published in 1582 by two eminent European physicians, Dr. Adamus and Dr. A'tatis. A second book by Dr. Bell was published shortly after this in Leipzig.

It was, however, a Dr. William H. Fitzgerald who advanced and developed the initial popular practice of reflexology in our contemporary Western society. Dr. Fitzgerald studied at the University of Vermont and graduated in 1895. For two and a half years he practiced medicine in Boston City Hospital before transferring to the Central London Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, England. He also practiced under the famous Professors Politzer and Chiari at an ear, nose, and throat clinic in Vienna.

How Dr. Fitzgerald originated his research in this area remains a mystery. Conjecture has been made that he discovered his ideas in Europe and brought them to North America. Alternatively, it is suggested that, in his desire to develop a method of anesthesia and analgesia for minor surgery, he noted the instinctive tight gripping of a chair arm by patients in their response to pain, and began to explore that phenomenon. In 1913 he brought his initial findings to the attention of the medical profession while he was head of the Nose and Throat Department of St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. He had discovered that pressure, when applied to certain points on the body could relieve pain and improve the functions of certain organs of the body. In his research, Dr. Fitzgerald developed a new system of ten zones running from the top of the head to the tips of the toes and hands. Dr. Edwin Bowers, a medical critic and writer, investigated Dr. Fitzgerald's claims, appeased his skepticism, and jointly authored with Dr. Fitzgerald the book "Zone Therapy" - the name by which reflexology was known until the early 1960s. Dr. Fitzgerald and his followers promoted Zone Therapy to the medical community as a natural method of analgesia and anesthesia.

For a more extensive presentation of the history of reflexology use this link.