OU on the BBC: Alternative Therapies - Reflexology

It's not the benefits of having one's feet massaged that is hard to understand it's the cost for 15 minutes

I am not a reflexologist or a practitioner of any other form of alternative medicine. I am a social scientist. Kathy Sykes appears to me to be the acceptable face of Richard Dawkins. Whereas Dawkins is simple rude to some of the people he interviews when talking about what he thinks is not-scientific-medicine Kathy isn’t. But unfortunately Kathy comes out of the same mould as Dawkins. The give away line which Kathy mouths several times in the series is something like “How can we be certain that this treatment is actually efficacious and that it’s not just the placebo effect?” As someone who has a doctorate in physics she should know better than to ask this type of question. Science delivers the best understanding which our cognitive capacity can achieve at the time of the research. In case anyone including Kathy is in doubt what that last sentence says is that by its very nature we can NEVER be certain about scientific findings. Knowledge is never in any sense complete or final and all our findings await a greater cognitive capacity which will through more light on our work one day in the future. Kathy shows no sign of being aware of this.

By the way there is another quite different way in which we can understand alternative medicine and that is through the philosophical lens of pragmatism. As a physical scientist Kathy probably has not encountered this concept. Maybe the programme needed a social scientist to balance the prejudices of the physical sciences.

Dan Remenyi
Visiting Professor
School of Systems and Data Studies
Trinity College Dublin

Statement from the Association of Reflexologists (AoR) on the BBC 2 Programme Alternative Therapies 23rd March 2008

As the largest reflexology organisation in the UK we fully appreciate the difficulties of presenting a balanced view of our therapy and we consider that the BBC 2 programme Alternative Therapies focusing on reflexology did not present a fair and balanced view.

This was very disappointing as our 8,000 members look to BBC programme makers to adhere to their historical ethos and values which is to be ‘impartial, independent and honest’. The BBC claims that their purpose has largely gone untouched for 80 years.

One in five people in the UK choose to use complementary therapies. The Association of Reflexologists would have been willing to provide a range of UK based professional therapists both to demonstrate the art but also to provide viewers with general information on reflexology and even testimonials from their very satisfied clients. Our members operate by a Code of Practice and Ethics and we are recognised as leaders in the field in terms of standards and practice.

Complementary therapies are always going to be contentious in their lack of medical evidence or indeed their place within current medical understanding. The programme however did not detail any of the fifteen scientific studies that Dr Sykes referred to. There are more research studies available, both in publication and in progress that the viewers would have found of great interest and would have helped to present a balanced view.

Although there is not an enormous amount of research this is partly due to lack of funding opportunities and bias against complementary therapies at both a funding and publication level.

The AoR promotes understanding of good scientific research and would be proud and willing to be involved in studies in an attempt to refute the comments.

Doreen Baker
Chief Executive AoR

I watched the Reflexology show last night and was disappointed with it on many levels. I am a qualified reflexologist therapist myself and there were numerous details missed out. I do not feel that this programme showed Reflexology in a very good light and also massage as well. Reflexology and Massage with other CAM touch therapies will obviously bring some relief via the power of touch. But that's not of all it! As a qualified Reflexolgist, I do feel I need to bring to light some points that were not mentioned and some clarification in areas that didnt go into detail.
1. It's a shame there was no association shown for the Reflexology with its relation to Acupunture (both therapies using body meridians and pressure points). Acupuncture is now "scientifically" accepted. I would have thought this would have been crucial for "scientfically" proving that where Acupuncture used to be, this is where Reflexology is today. Acupuncture and Acupressure work on the same principle with certain parts of the body's "meridians", and Reflexology works with meridians as well as reflex points, just in the same way. I have had acupunture treatments myself and know of the associations between the treatments as some points are indentical for treatment. So it's accepted for Acupuncture body mapping and points and not for Reflexology?
2. Modern Reflexology as we know it today was brought by Eunice Ingham, but its roots go way back, even the mapping of the feet. They are known chakra diaghrams linking to the mapping of the feet and hands by buddists monks a long time ago. Native American Indians have been using foot and hand Reflexology for thousands of years. These pressure point therapies stem way back thousands and thousands of years ago and were really truly pioneered by the Chinese. Reflexology zone point mapping of the hands and feet were not just "invented" in 1930s.
3. And what about Hand and Ear Reflexology! That exists too! So how would you explain that in relation to the nervous system? Only some main nerves were shown by Dr Alice Roberts. The body works as a whole, and everything is interconnected, including your veins and arteries with the lymphatic system. The nerve end in the feet! The lumbar, sacral and coccygeal nerves do leave the spinal cord at the level of the first lumbar vertebra and extend towards, forming the bundle of nerves known as the cauda equina (horse's tail). But these nerve groups do join up with other plexuses with other adjacent nerves linking to bodily organs and systems. There are apparently many, many nerves and nerve endings in each foot! Remember when you last banged your foot or toe? Ouch! And what about peripheral neuropathy? How would you explain that if there was no connection? Nerves in your feet and hands carry signals to your brain as well. When nerves in your feet are diseased, signals may not reach the brain. Or, signals may be confused. The result may be lack of feeling in your feet or other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. So no connection to the brain? I dont think so!
4. I was sorry to see about the lactic acid or cystals in the feet. Instead of asking a couple of individual therapist, why not go to the Association of Reflexologists in England and get a better insight and correct knowledge! A Reflexologist will feel certain resistance "little grains of sand" under the skin. This is a very good indication of "congestion" in that part of the body and these "grainy" areas come up trumps, each time, to indicate the congestion, sluggishness and blogging of energy and bodily system in that area. What are these tiny little grains? That is a good question, but what is cellulite? What are fatty lumps in the body? These are all a result of congestion, a lack of bodily systems running smoothly and this is exactly the same principle showing in the feet, indicating these blockages in the corresponding part in the body! That's all! I have never heard anyone saying that there are lactic acid / crystals in the soles of the feet!
4. The power of touch is enormous and important to us. It is so evident with touch therapies that touch is PART of the therapy and not ALL and only that!
I can sympathize when someone has lost someone close to them and the experience and symbolic importance of their touch, but this is not to put out a message that a whole therapy like Reflexology and Massage is based mainly on touch and belief (placebo effect). This I feel is quite damaging for many who do not really know much about these therapies. As I mentioned before, Reflexology is where Acupuncture and Acupressure used to be, ie, not scientically proven as of yet.
Look at Aromatherapy and how powerful that is! Aromatherapy's therapeutic effect is automatic (beyond our preliminary capability to self-control) as it is linked to the limbic system and goes beyond "belief" and placebo. Give Reflexology a chance like Acupuncture and Acupressure were given and get all the facts and go beyond just someone's choice of editing certain information and personal life experiences.
There's lots of information research on the web so have a look and find out for yourself or have a reflexology treatment by a qualified therapist! Wishing you all well, Michele, www.360degreeslivingletter.com