Once thought to be an accumulation of either uric or lactic acid, there is now evidence that areas of your feet, where the tissue texture feels crunchy to the touch, may be entanglements of nervous tissue that are mirroring problems in other parts of your body. This is why your reflexologist searches out areas of the feet that feel crunchy and may work on them longer than other reflexes, even if they don't feel sensitive to you. Now, you may have the following questions...*
What if I feel pain in the same area my reflexologist feels tissue texture change? This may mean that something is out of balance in the body in the area that is indicated by the reflexology map and that this part of your body requires the attention it is asking for.
What if you feel pain in an area where your reflexologist does not find any tissue texture change? This may signal the onset of an issue in the body in the area that is indicated by the reflexology map and gives you the opportunity to give this part of your body the attention it is asking for.
What if you have no pain in an area where your reflexologist finds tissue texture change? This may mean that you have experienced past trauma in the body in the area indicated by the reflexology map. While the issue might be in the past, it still may deserve the attention it is asking for.
It's important to remember that crunchiness or pain in areas of your feet does NOT have to mean something is physically wrong with you. You may want to take the time to think about the spiritual/emotional relevance of what you are feeling, and where. For example, if the neck reflex in your feet is crunchy or painful, it could be related to a lack of flexibility, while issues of the low back reflex may relate to financial stress or past issues with a father figure. What our feet can tell us is truly fascinating!
*Reflexologists are not physicians and should never provide a diagnosis. Please consult your doctor if you have any medical concerns. Source: This information is based on research conducted by Dr. Jesus Manzanares, a medical doctor in Spain who has performed biopsies of living connective tissue of the feet. Manzanares' research demonstrated that when an area of the body is out of balance, the corresponding reflex area in the foot has been shown to have an increased number of nerve fibers, which is what makes for a crunchy feeling. Several insights in this newsletter were provided to Foot-Joy by Chantel Lucier of the AtHome Experience.