Sole or Foot Massage

Also known as reflexology, foot massage, as practiced by the Chinese is performed in the context of chi, in that each spot on the sole of the foot corresponds to an internal organ, and the applied therapy is healing to one's overall well being. The theory supposes that an ailment of an internal organ will be associated with the nerve ending on the sole of the foot.

Before the massage, the patient's feet are soaked for about ten minutes in a foot bath, typically a dark colored solution of hot water and Chinese herbs. The massage therapist uses liberal amounts of medicated cream, to moisturize the foot and to provide lubrication. The knuckles on the therapist's hand are usually used to provide a hard and smooth implement for the massage. As pressure is applied to the sole, theory holds that a healthy patient should not feel any strong pain. Painful spots, reflexologists believe, reflect illnesses of other parts of the body. The practitioner rubs and massages the painful spots to break down rough spots and accumulated crystals and increase circulation.

The ailments are healed when the sore spots of the sole are treated and removed by massage. Based on this theory, some shoe liners are made with pressure points to stimulate the soles of the feet to promote better health of the overall body. The nature of these "crystals" has yet to be elucidated or demonstrated scientifically. Regardless of the actual correlation of reflexology to internal organs, many enjoy it for the mix of stimulation and relaxation.

Sole therapy is easy to learn and to apply by the average person.It is one of the popular folk treatments.Sole therapy is also called yong quan therapy or bubbling spring therapy.Yong quan is an acupoint on the bottom of the foot. Yong quan literally means bubbling spring.

Sole therapy involves using massage, herbs, acupuncture and moxibustion on the acupoints called bubbling spring (yong quan) and other parts of the feet to stimulate and promote qi flow in the channels (meridians) to balance yin-yang and to strengthen functions of the internal organs thus preventing and curing illnesses.

Methods of Therapies

* Pasting herb plaster
* Applying herb
* Stepping on herb
* Steaming and washing with herb
* Using hot compress
* Using acupuncture

Among the 361 points being used, yong quan  is the most painful point for needling and most patients cannot tolerate the pain. Usually it is used in hysterical aphasia, hysterical paralysis, coma and fainting.

Position of patients, while receiving treatment, should be either lying face down or in kneeling position.

The skin of yong quan is relatively thick. Do not use long thin needles to prevent the bending of the needles.

* Focusing qi
* Using moxibustion
* Massaging

Kneading, pressing and massaging techniques on the sole can be used to prevent and heal illnesses.

Commonly used techniques:

1). pressing: using the thumb or index finger to press repeatedly on yong quan and other points with strongest pressure that the patients can endure.

2). rubbing: using the thumb or heal of the palm or fingers to rub in circular motion in a fast and with slightly strong pressure until the sole become warm.

3). kneading: using the thumb or finger tips to knead back and forth on yong quan and other points.

Foot Massage techniques can be taught to the patients to do them themselves.

The more effective sole massage techniques include bu (enhancing) and xie (purging) with qi that takes long term training and can be draining for the practitioners.

According to the first medical text that specialized in external therapies, "ji jiu guang sheng ji" by Cheng Peng Cheng of Qing dynasty of China , massaging the soles of the feet a few hundred strokes to thousands of strokes until the soles become warm then go to bed will improve the circulation and can secure the essence of jin and keep the body healthy and prolong life.

Contra-indication

Do not apply foot massage when the patients :

1. have serious high blood pressure, or

2. have heart diseases, or

3. are during menstrual period or

4. are pregnant, or

5. have bleeding problems, or

6. just finishing meal or are very hungry

There are lymphatic dusts, blood vessels, and nerves at the bottom of the feet. Although feet are the strongest parts of the body but if too much force is being use during the massage, damages can be done to the feet.
...source:alternativehealing.org