Pain & Mobility Reflexology

I work with clients experiencing pain and also offer sports & injury reflexology treatment.

Poor posture, injury and lifestyle or work pressures can cause the spine to become misaligned. This creates a muscular ‘reaction’. The spine tries to stabilise which can cause it to lock, become stiff or settle into the wrong position. Longer term this can cause muscles to become weak in one area or too tight in another. The resulting muscular tension causes pain.

I have experience of working with

  • Injuries and conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints or soft tissues
  • Ligament strains and sprains
  • Conditions arising pre or post-surgery
  • Back pain, sciatica, stiff neck and frozen shoulder
  • Old injuries; such as, a fall or accident in childhood or recurrent sporting injuries
  • Chronic and persistent pain
  • Whiplash, disc problems and postural problems
  • Sports injuries, groin strain and tight muscles
  • Headaches and migraines caused by muscular tension
  • Hip and pelvis problems and tight pelvic muscles; such as, the psoas and the piriformis
  • Pain arising from medical conditions; such as, fibromyalgia, ME, arthritis, osteoporosis, MS, joint hypermobility, Parkinson’s and other medical conditions

Pain

Elderly people may have ‘chronic’, ongoing pain caused by several health or physical problems; young people often have ‘acute’ pain caused by sports injury. Pain can be unimaginable for some of us but bearable for others, who ‘just get on with it’. So, there is also a psychological element to pain. Pain can have several possible sources; for example, a headache can be caused by neck tension, a respiratory or a digestive problem. Pain can be persisting or intermittent. It can relate to tissue injury and trauma. Unmanaged pain can lead to weight loss, sleep disturbance, fatigue and depression.

Reflexology to help relieve pain

I use advanced spinal reflexology and mobilisation techniques combined with VRT (vertical reflex therapy), hot and cold stones, nerve reflexology, skeletal system points, essential oils and cranial sacral work to help clients obtain pain relief and manage ongoing pain problems.

I identify posture and trauma patterns which show in the body. These may have been caused by an accident (whiplash, fall, sports injury, twisted ankle) or lifestyle issues (sedentary desk job, repetitive strain, weight problems, physical work, driving). Illnesses; such as, ME, MS, Fibromyalgia, arthritis and osteoporosis can also cause longstanding postural problems.

Combined reflexology techniques enable the targeting of specific vertebrae, nerves, soft tissue and muscles which can be hard to access in traditional body work; such as, massage or chiropractic treatments. For instance, I am able to work very effectively in the pelvic area where muscles cannot always be easily reached.

Reflexology stimulates more than 7,000 nerve endings during a single treatment, increasing their function and interrupting the pain response. The combination of increased nerve activity, better circulation and improved metabolic function mean that cells will regenerate faster and wounds will heal more rapidly. The pain-relieving power of reflexology makes you feel better and leaves you more able to start a physical recovery.

My objective is to realign a client’s posture and target areas of muscular tension or nerve pain. Improvements in mobility, pain levels and a more “neutral” posture can be seen and felt very quickly after one or two treatments. Longer standing postural problems can be gradually realigned.

Research into Reflexology for Pain

Poole et al 2007
A large study which looked at chronic back pain and compared reflexology with massage and conventional treatment of pain. The reflexology group had the greatest reduction in pain.

Quinn et al 2008
People in work with back pain (not chronic) were either given a ‘real’ reflexology or a ‘sham’ reflexology treatment (foot massage). The ‘real’ reflexology treatment group experienced a greater reduction in pain levels than the ‘sham’ group.

Dalal et al 2012
This study examined tissue differences in the lower/lumbar spine, focussing on temperature and mobility. It found that the reflexology study group had significantly improved lower back function, mobility and pain levels.

Booth, Lynne 1997
Small VRT study on pain and mobility issues in a residential home for the elderly. It revealed notable results in the reduction of pain levels and movement in clients.