Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used for thousands of years and many of its techniques are still in use today. One of the techniques is reflexology.
Reflexology is a form of therapy that involves applying pressure to specific areas on the feet, hands, or ears. The most common and widely practiced form of this massage is on the feet. There are areas on the bottom of the feet known as reflex points and are believed to correspond to various organs, glands, and other parts of the body. When pressure is applied to these reflex points, the body’s natural healing processes are stimulated to act. These reflex points come from the principles of acupressure and the meridians, which are the energy channels in the body. Some benefits of receiving a reflexology massage include relaxation, stress relief, improved blood and lymph circulation, and tension relief. It is common for people who suffer from anxiety, diabetes, headaches, PMS, cardiovascular issues, and more to utilize reflexology as part of a therapeutic approach for relief.
The feet and calves are called the "second heart" as they function together as a pump to stimulate blood flow through walking. However, the soles of the feet are far from the heart and they are prone to poor blood circulation and stagnation. When wearing shoes the feet can become stiff from stagnation and blood flow becomes compromised which can lead to potential issues such as swelling and coldness. For this reason, reflexology is commonly performed on the feet and results in positive effects.
Another massage technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine is Gua Sha, which involves a smooth-edged tool to scrap your skin. Scraping might sound painful, but it is not, and the technique can be applied to the sole of the feet to break up adhesions in the fascia, improve blood flow and lymphatic flow, relieve pain and tension.
It is believed that the pressure from the massage will help clear blocked energy which restores general wellness throughout the body. It does so by circulating the blood and lymphatic fluid so the nutrients and blood can flow through, which may clear toxins and increase circulation. Currently, this technique is associated primarily with face massages and is used as a face sculpting technique. However, Gua Sha can be performed on the rest of the body.
When pain relief is not offered by Western medicine, these Eastern alternative treatments may be helpful. Fujimax Massage Chairs utilize and combine these techniques to provide effective foot massage, combining Gua Sha and reflexology as foot rollers will effectively apply pressure to the reflex points while performing a Gua Sha scraping massage on the soles of your feet for maximum benefit. With a Fujimax Massage Chair, these massages are just a push of a button away with no need for assistance or an appointment.
