Reflexology for Sports & Injuries
Incorporating Reflexology into your fitness regime can be extremely beneficial. Reflexology can help reduce pain and speed up the overall recovery period. The combination of increased blood circulation, increased nerve activity and a better functioning metabolism improves tissue regeneration and means that the body can repair itself and heal wounds faster. During high intensity exercise, our main systems: endocrine, muscular, circulatory, cardiovascular, respiratory, and lymphatic are involved.
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Reflexology helps to balance and relax all these systems by stimulating thousands of nerve endings in our feet and various reflex points. These nerves and reflex points correspond to different glands, organs, muscles, joints, limbs and anatomical systems in our body. By using specific reflexology techniques on the foot and its ‘reflexes’, we are stimulating the body’s own natural healing abilities and addressing imbalances throughout the whole body.Pinpointing areas of stress before they manifest physically as pain or weakness thereby reducing the likelihood of potential injury.
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Benefits
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Stimulate the function and reactivity of over 5000 nerve endings in the feet, which in turn can interrupt or change the way you feel pain and support injury recovery.
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Increase blood circulation to injured areas of the body thereby removing toxins and waste (generated by extended muscle exertion) and supplying oxygen and nutrients to those muscles. Increased circulation can help prevent cramps, spasms and aches and pains associated with exercise and speed up recovery periods.
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Encourage lymphatic action which inhibits the production of lactic acid. According to the Bonash University, Australia. Reflexology can remove lactic acid from the legs four times faster than massage – great for tired legs.
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Reduce pain such as leg, knee, hip, foot, shoulder, arm and hand pain. Treatments can help to address numerous sports injuries including, sprains and strains, shin splints, back pain (which can also be felt in the shoulders, neck, buttocks or lower limbs), spine injuries, joint inflammation (e.g. bursitis, tennis elbow, tendonitis), knee pain, shoulder pain (e.g. rotator cuff disorders, fractures), as well as conditions such as plantar fasciitis, neuroma and other types of pain.
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Reduce inflammation by stimulating the adrenal gland to trigger a natural yet powerful anti-inflammatory response by encouraging the production of glucocorticoids, the most plentiful being cortisol (hydrocortisone).
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Create a positive effect on overall physical and emotional health and performance by enabling deep relaxation and faster recovery from intense exercise, injuries and surgeries.
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Identify areas of stress before they manifest physically as pain or weakness therefore reducing the likelihood of potential injury.
Reflexology Experiences with Sports People
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International track and field athlete Steve Watson was left crippled after a horrific sports injury with his 2016 Olympic dream in tatters. He smashed his spinal discs and also suffered severe muscle damage to the lower back and was left unable to bend, and barely able to move without assistance. For 18 frustrating months, Steve would undergo physician guidance to try and repair the muscle and bone damage, but with very little progress and still very limited mobility. Then in October 2014, his life changed for the better after he was introduced to Reflexology by expert Mr Parham Donyai.
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“We began treatment and within two weeks the pain was considerably better, and within a month it was gone.” Steve said: “Like many, prior to the Reflexology treatment I was a real sceptic, and now I’m kicking myself for not trying it much earlier following my injury.
“I would strongly recommend alternative treatments to anyone who has been let down by conventional treatment. “It totally worked for me and if it worked on me, it can work on anyone.”
Many prominent PGA Tour Pros including Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, John Daly, Fred Funk, David Duval, Fred Couples have also benefitted from reflexology. Fred Funk indicated in a testimonial that reflexology has helped him deal with ‘over use injuries’ he has from playing golf.
Research into Pain
Dr Carol Samuel, who trained as a reflexologist, undertook a series of studies and experiments into the treatment of acute pain as part of her PhD studies at the University of Portsmouth.
She established that people felt 40% less pain and were able to stand pain for 45% longer when reflexology was used as a method of pain relief. The study concluded that reflexology could be used successfully as an adjunct to traditional pain relief and as a therapy it has much to offer performing athletes and sports people.
