© Sophie Irvine 2013 Made with Xara White CherrY Therapy History Modern reflexology is based on an ancient form of therapy. There is evidence of some form of foot and hand  therapy being practised in China as long ago as 4,000 B.C. and also at the same time in Egypt, as depicted in  the tomb of Ankmahor. The North American tribes of Indians are known to have practised a form of foot therapy for hundreds of years. The more modern form of reflexology  was first pioneered by an ear, nose and  throat surgeon by the name of Dr  William Fitzgerald (1872-1942). Dr  Fitzgerald was the founder of Zone  Therapy, which was an earlier form of  reflexology. He discovered that exerting  pressure on the tips of the toes or  fingers caused corresponding parts of  the body to become anaesthetised. From this, Dr Fitzgerald divided the body into ten equal zones, which ran  from the top of the head to the ends of the toes. However, reflexology as we know it today was pioneered by a woman  called Eunice Ingham (1889 - 1974), or the mother of modern  reflexology. Eunice Ingham was a physiotherapist working in a doctor's practise using the zone therapy developed by Dr Fitzgerald. Ms Ingham thought, however, that it would be more effective to be practised on  the feet rather than the hands. After extensive research, she  developed the map of the entire body on the feet - where one point on the foot corresponds to a certain part of the body. By using  acupressure or massage techniques on these points, a positive effect is created in the corresponding body part.