A Professional Evaluation of Poor Foot Reflexology Appointment Examples

By Selena Belisle, CE Institute LLC Founder & Instructor

Please note that our professional evaluations do not name practitioner's or establishments. Any identifying information is purposely not shared. This is solely a learning example for to improve practices, and should not be used to embarass or cause harm to others: 

I had two reflexology appointments recently, only days apart, with both being disappointing, if they were to be evaluated as true reflexology appointments. Neither felt similar to the traditional evidence-based reflexology practice we teach here at the school, which is slightly similar to the Ingham method.  Different does not always mean it is better or worse; however, in these two instances, I felt practically no benefit after the treatments, so in my 25+ year experience of reflexology training and estimation, both reflexology sessions were not provided well, or with best practices.

Foot Reflexology in a Typical Asian Nail Salon

The first reflexology appointment I had was in a typical Asian salon in Barcelona, Spain.  I dislike using the term Asian salon; however, the staff working on the day of my service all appeared to be of Asian descent speaking Mandarin, with Mandarin language or symbols printed on their Reflexology advertisement chart. They continually spoke Mandarin during open client services where the clients can watch and hear them endlessly chat and laugh amongst themselves. I feel chatting and laughing amongst staff in a foreign language is unprofessional when a client is paying for a relaxation or healing bodywork, such as a reflexology appointment. Their reflexology was 25 euros for a 30-minute appointment.

The reflexology appointment started with a traditional foot soak in a plastic lined bucket as pictured below. The plastic lining is supposed to be for hygiene purposes, as long as the plastic lining is new, and changed for every customer. A recommended practice to increase client confidence would be to change the plastic liner in front of the client, where a new plastic liner is installed in view of the client so that they know that the foot water bath has been especially created for them. The water was of good temperature, and the soak lasted for an appropriate length of time which was less than 5 minutes. It was a bubbly soak which was fun, although I could not smell any aromatic enhancements to improve the foot soak experience.

I was seated upright in a chair station where pedicures were also provided, in an open area where I could observe other clients and practitioners, providing and/or receiving both nail and massage services.

The reflexologist dried my feet after the soak, and offered an upgraded medicinal oil that was purported to provide greater therapeutic benefit for an additional 5 euro. This is a fantastic business tactic, because it can increase earnings without any extra labor, and could enhance the client’s experience as well. I declined the upgrade because no specifics were provided, such as what the ingredients are in the medicinal oil that provided greater benefits. 

Oftentimes, ingredients such as menthols are used for foot treatments to increase circulation.  Unfortunately, applying menthol to the feet can create a tingly and/or chilling effect which I was uninterested in because it was only 55 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and I didn’t want to be colder than what I already was. The medicinal oil add-on appeared to be concocted at the establishment in a plain glass bottle without any labels. The fact that the oil was in a glass bottle used over a hard tile floor made me think that essential oils had been added. It’s always better to use glass instead of plastic with essential oils, because essential oils regularly degrade plastic. If it had been clear that there were woody or spicy essential oils that cause a warming effect on the skin in their medicinal concoction 5 euro add-on, then I surely would have accepted the upgrade! 

NOTE to providers: If you would like to earn extra income with massage medium upgrades: make sure you have an ingredients list to show clients to not only avoid allergic reactions, but to also help sell your product, especially when language barriers are present. Barcelona’s top industry is tourism; however, I was in an Asian salon where the national language is Spanish and the staff only seemed to speak Mandarin, so communication was a major challenge beyond pointing at service pictures with prices. Even if the ingredients have been printed in a foreign language, such as the most commonly used Roman or Latin language, consumers could then use their cell phones to translate what the ingredients are to make a more educated decision with the 5 euro upgrade.  It’s important to provide informed consent with every appointment, and there is no informed consent when a client wants to know what’s being applied to their body, and the information is not properly disclosed.

The treatment on my feet felt more like regular massage, accupressure or Tuina, more so than a reflexology session.  While specific areas of one foot were worked on at a time, the strokes did not resemble reflexology practice such as stimulating a specific reflexology point.  To the contrary, the hands-on application felt more like a blend of relaxation and deep tissue techniques applied to the lower legs plus sole and dorsum of each foot. Also, when the practitioner felt tension or restriction in the soft tissues of the sole of the foot such as the plantar fascia area, she focussed on that area to stretch and soften the tight muscle and fascia. Stretching plantar fascia is considered to be more of a massage technique than a reflexology practice.

The provider themselves had one of the best touches I had ever felt in my almost 40-year career of massage and bodywork.  While she wore gloves for proper hygiene when working on my feet, the contact was full and firm with proper rhythm and pressure. There was a sureness and confidence in the touch, like they were born to do it. The establishment also provided oil body massage which I surely wanted to seek once I felt the incredible touch of this practitioner; however, once my “reflexology” was concluded, she pulled the towel out from under my legs which placed my oily legs directly on the foot stool’s upholstery, so I decided against seeking further service due to hygiene and unprofessionalism concerns, where there was endless chatter and laughter amongst the staff during client service.  

Foot Reflexology on a Cruise Ship

The second comparable foot reflexology appointment I experienced in the same week was on a cruise ship.  It was a 50-minute session for about 99 euros (plus a mandatory 15% gratuity) This session started in a private treatment room where I was asked to remove my pants only, and lie in the supinated position on a massage treatment table. A knee bolster (pictured below) should be provided when a client is lying in the supinated position on a treatment table, to help avoid low back stain and also possibly help with any pain that knee extension when lying on a flat table for a long period of time.  Unfortunately, the reflexologist did not provide a knee bolster, and given what this same establishment provided for a bolster in a previous massage session, I did not ask for one either. 

NOTE TO BODYWORKERS: Please be sure to have proper equipment when providing bodyworker services such as reflexology.  Not having proper equipment is just plain bad business, especially when professional prices are being charged such as in both of these reflexology appointment examples.

The reflexologist on the cruise ship was from Indonesia, and had practiced in Bali for three years prior to accepting repeated cruise contracts to work onboard. She also spent over one year in full-time training prior to practicing reflexology, massage and other bodywork, so she had plentiful experience. Please keep in mind that a popular average of a massage therapist career is only about seven years total, with some working much longer than this while others do not last their first year.

This reflexology session on the cruise ship had no medical intake, similar to the other appointment in Barcelona.  

NOTE TO BODYWORKERS: It’s important to always conduct a medical intake, to avoid applying a medium to the skin that the client could be allergic to, and to avoid other contraindications such as working on a client who has an infectious disease.

Sanitizing the Feet Prior to Cruise Ship Reflexology Appointment

A hot towel was used to cleanse the feet which is another acceptable hygiene practice prior to reflexology application.  Unfortunately the “hot towel” out of the cabi was barely luke warm, so it wasn’t as comfortable or enjoyable as a true hot towel service.  

NOTE TO BODYWORKERS:  Use hot water when making hot towels, before placing them in a hot towel cabi.  Towels soaked in cold water could take several hours to thoroughly heat, especially when a stack of towels is placed on top of one another.

To improve a client experience when no hot towels are readily available yet needed:

1. When a sink is readily available next to the client: run hot water until it is hot, and then wet the towel with hot water, then immediately apply to the client while it is still comfortable to both of you.

2. When a microwave is readily available next to the client: nuke the wet towel in the microwave for a few seconds, then immediately apply to the client while it is still comfortable to both of you.

Be careful not to burn a client with a hot towel too. Hot towel cabis, such as the one pictured below, are know to heat up to 150+ degrees Fahrenheit!

The reflexology on the cruise ship did not feel like a true reflexology session, similar to the Barcelona appointment.  A series of massage and deep tissue strokes were used with oil.  

NOTE TO BODYWORKERS: We prefer using cream or lotion during foot reflexology appointments so that both gliding and specific point stimulation techniques can be easily applied without slipping or sliding away from the reflexology point being worked on.  Oil is a poor medium choice for reflexology.  Oil does not absorb well into the thicker skin of the sole of the foot. As such, the bottoms of the feet can remain slippery which is a problem when the client is wearing sandals or flip flops.  A client can slip and fall with oily feet, which would be a liability of the practitioner and business establishment when/where the oil was applied.

The hands-on application of the reflexology on the cruise did not have the same superior touch as what I found in the previous salon in Barcelona. While it was good contact, it did not have the same fullness or confidence. The strokes were appropriately slow; however, the practitioner used her pointer finger knuckle for a lot of the application which felt like a wooden tool. Her knuckle felt extremely sharp and she pushed really hard with forceful pressure, which was quite painful on the soles of my feet and toes.  I had to repeatedly ask for less pressure so that it wasn’t uncomfortable. In the end, the pressure felt like she applied the same for all clients instead of customizing the reflexology to meet the client’s wishes or needs, which would be more appropriate for a true therapeutic result.

The reflexology was also practiced in a manner that didn’t recognize the zones of the feet as we teach here at the school pictured below, unless the reflexologist was only trying to stimulate the pulmonary and abdominal area.  Our professional reflexology practice asks reflexologists to work an entire zone, from the tip of the toes to the heel of the foot, and then quadrants of the zones are worked individually.  We do not work two quadrants in a singular stroke while leaving the remaining two quadrants, superior and inferior to the middle untreated.  This is one of several examples of why it felt more like a foot massage than a true reflexology session to me.  We feel that true reflexology has a more sensical application when working different zones and points of the feet.

Overall, both sessions felt acceptable if they were to be considered average foot massages instead of reflexology sessions, with the treatment in Barcelona far superior, due to the natural skill level of the practitioner’s incredible touch.  

NOTE TO BODYWORKERS: It is our recommendation in true reflexology practice to learn common reflexology points as pictured in the chart below, and then discuss these with a client when working each area, such as I’m stimulating your sinus, thyroid or intestinal points now, etc. We teach interactive reflexology, such as having a client take a deep breath when we work the diaphragm reflexology area. This is one way to separate working on the feet between reflexology practice and regular foot massage.  

Reflexologist’s Intentions Can Create a Better Appointment

We believe the reflexologist’s intention helps provide a better result in reflexology practice, to the point that some feel therapeutic benefits in the various body areas where reflexology points were stimulated.  I have even experienced feeling lighter and overall full body improvement from a singular reflexology session practiced solely on the feet. Unfortunately I did not feel any of these benefits with these two reflexology sessions, which was a disappointing yet educating result to share.

To learn more about reflexology practice, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/reflexology