Harrisburg, PA 56°F
By Sarah Woodruf
Temporary relief from pain, stress and illness can be as easy as walking to the spa and ordering a foot rub. Timi Spacht, staff member of Laguna Point Salon and Day Spa, describes the specialized service that transforms the casual foot massage into a science-based practice called reflexology.
“The bottom of your foot is broken up into zones, and each one of these zones corresponds with either a muscular structure, skeletal structure or an internal organ or body part,” explains Spacht, an eight-year performer of reflexology and a firm believer in its unique benefits.
In simplest terms: She has been taught to recognize which part of the foot to touch in order to ease an ailment located elsewhere in the body. This ancient discovery lies in the center of a birthplace debate extending from the hieroglyphics of Cleopatra’s time to writings from Indian tribes. “Everyone wants to claim it,” Spacht jokes. Though the origin is questionable, the practice is crucial for managing inner organ pain where direct massaging contact is impossible.
Spacht credits reflexology for relieving the pain of her mother-in-law and father-in-law five days after hip and knee surgery, a time when healing was too raw for their joints to lay in traditional massage positions. With feet, the only destinations of the sessions, clients eliminate the need to disrobe, avoiding the awkwardness for the shy and the extra effort for the lazy. Those struggling to manipulate their bodies onto massage tables can play to their comfort levels by sitting in chairs.
For those using reflexology to combat the tensions of everyday life, the experience offers a relaxing alternative to pent up stress; when paired with the likes of cancer patients or migraine sufferers, the method brings hope to those who face limited options for comfort. A specific zone in the foot accesses the stomach to decrease nausea, and another provides entry to reducing migraines.
An extremity of migraine symptoms and a lack of easy remedies set the stage for a particularly heartfelt moment in Spacht’s career. The situation emerged from a desperate woman’s search for relief when a headache clung like a parasite for days. A call to the spa from her nearby office found her in front of Spacht minutes later for her first feel of reflexology. “She felt so much better that she came back the next day for another session, called the owner and sent a card to the place. I mean, that’s how dramatic it can be.”
The word dramatic embodies every sense of the event that forms the basic premise of reflexology: the unblocking of trapped energy in the body. The idea of the body as a container of energy means that both physical and emotional forces can hinder the natural flow; working the meridians and reflexes in the foot allows room for the dis-eased areas to breathe and rejuvenate.
“The reason I like reflexology is because in western culture, the very first thing that most doctors want to do is to give you a synthetic drug that was made in a laboratory, not natural for your body, that your liver can’t process. With reflexology, it’s kind of starting with the least invasive type of treatment and it does help,” states Spacht.
This philosophy rings true especially in mental health cases, where pills strain purses and balance is often a struggle. Spacht highlights the observed effects of reflexology to counteract the chemical imbalance that causes depression, giving clients an opportunity to battle for control over their lives.
Spacht’s love for her trade is evident in her drive to spread information and her desire to help others. “Usually when clients come for reflexology, they’ve tried other things first. When they come to you and you can make them feel better about themselves and about their condition, that makes you feel really good that you were able to help that person.” She urges people to visit the spa and ask questions about the practice even without making an appointment. HBG
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