Reflexology aims to reduce the effects of stress and tension in the body, thereby aiding recovery and muscle repair and helping to moderate fatigue and soreness.
One of the results after a reflexology treatment is a deep feeling of relaxation and a release of stress and tension. It may also help with sleep patterns which can sometimes be disrupted during heavy training periods. This in turns helps the body to function more effectively, as a tense body is not an efficient one.
Reflexology provides a similar response to a massage therapy; although the main difference is that the therapy is applied at a point distant to the injury or soreness. This makes it a more pleasant experience for the receiver. Clients often remark that after treatment they feel as though they have had a deep tissue massage, although the only part of the body that has been worked, is the feet.
The Greek men’s handball team, Diomedes Argos, have noticed a significant and measurable decline in their overall medical expenses since they have integrated a Reflexologist into their medical team. Their performance has also improved and they have won both the European Challenge Cup and 2 other championships since. There are now reports of other professional sports teams integrating Reflexology into their team care. It is now being recognized as very beneficial in terms of efficiency and injury recovery.
People have reported their Personal Best’s after receiving regular reflexology treatments. It not only prepares the body to be in optimal condition, it can also facilitate post-race recovery. When looking at post-race recovery the optimal days for having a treatment would be on a rest day and in the first 4 days after the race, as can be seen from research, stress impairs healing in the first 96 hours after damage and so reducing this will allow for optimum repair.
