Hand Reflexology

Taken from the Reflexology Manual by Pauline Wills

Hand chart

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Pressure point techniques

Thumb walking Finger walking

Sliding

Massage technique

Stroking

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Start at the wrists and work down towards the fingers.
The treatment

Start with the right hand and rotate the

wrist. Support the client’s hand with your
thumb and two fingers on either side of the
wrist joint. With your working hand, slowly
rotate your client’s wrist. Then support
their knuckles while your working hand slowly
rotates fingers and thumb in turn, holding
each at the middle joint.

Head and neck reflexes

Start with the pituitary gland, which is

found approximately in the centre of the
fleshy pad of the thumb. Support the
thumb with the fingers of your working hand.
With the outer edge of your working thumb
press and gently rotate on the pituitary
reflex.

To treat the reflex for the pineal gland,

keep the fingers of your working hand in the
same position and simply move your working
thumb to the top of the inner side of your
client’s thumb. With the outer edge of your
working thumb, press and gently rotate on
this area. Make sure that your thumb is
constantly bent at the first joint while you
are working.

When you have treated the pineal gland,

move your working thumb to the base of your
client’s thumb on the inner edge. This is the
back of the head. Continue to maintain
support with your left hand and, still working
with the outer edge of your bent right

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thumb, walk in parallel lines to cover the
whole length of the client’s thumb.
Move to the reflexes for the side of the
neck and head and for the top of the brain.
These are found along the inner border and
across the top of the thumb. With your
left hand, tilt the client’s palm towards you.
Support the thumb with the fingers of your
working hand. Thumb walk from the base of
the inner side of the client’s thumb, up the
thumb’s side and across the top.
Now treat the spinal reflex. Move your
client’s hand with your supporting hand so
that the back faces you. Continue to thumb
walk down the medial border of the thumb to
where the scaphoid bone joins the radius.
Change over hands and, with the thumb of
your left hand, slide back up the reflex.

Support the back of your client’s hand with

your left hand. Starting on the medial side
of the base of your client’s thumb, where
the neck reflex starts, take small even steps
and thumb walk all round the base of the
thumb

Change over hands. Move to the face reflex

located on the back of the thumb.
Supporting your client’s hand with your right
hand, thumb walk in parallel lines over the
back of the thumb, until all the area has
been covered.

Continuing to use your right hand for

support, place the thumb of your working

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hand on the web between your client’s thumb Having treated the vocal chords, turn your
and index finger. This is the reflex for the client’s hand so that the back is now
vocal chords. Supporting your client’s supported by your right hand. Thumb walk
thumb with the fingers of your working in parallel lines over the sinus reflexes.
hand, gently rotate on this point for a few These are found on the front and sides of all
seconds four fingers

Change the position of your hands. Starting Change over hands. To find the reflex for
at the base of the index finger along the the Eustachian tube, separate your client’s
medial edge, thumb walk with your right hand middle and ring fingers with your supporting
across the base of this finger and the hand. Place the outer edge of your working
middle finger in order to treat the eye thumb on the web between these fingers and
reflex area. rotate on this point.

To work the ear reflex, extend your client’s

fingers slightly back with your supporting
hand, and thumb walk from the base of your
client’s little finger on the lateral border to
the base of the middle finger

The thyroid gland reflex lies over the

proximal phalanx of the thumb. Use your
right hand to extend the thumb back. With
the fingers of your left hand under your
client’s hand, thumb walk across this reflex,
starting at the medial edge.

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 Still supporting the thumb, with your right
hand, slowly rotate on the parathyroid
reflexes with your left thumb. The upper
parathyroid lies in the inner upper part of
the thyroid reflex; the lower parathyroid is
found in the lower inner part.

Resting your client’s hand palm down, support

it by placing your right hand underneath the
fingers. Using your working hand, treat the
teeth reflexes
by thumb walking in parallel lines over the
back of all four fingers. Start with the
index finger and proceed to the little finger.
The reflexes to the incisors cover the backs
of the thumb and index finger, but you will
have
treated the thumb when working the reflex
to the face. The reflex area to the canines
is found on the back of the index finger; the
reflex area for the premolars is on the back
of the middle finger; the reflex area for the
first and second molars is situated on the
back
of the ring finger; and the reflex area for
the third molars, or wisdom teeth, is found
on the back of the little finger.

Shoulder and chest reflexes Start by working the shoulder reflex. This
extends around the base of the little finger,
on the lateral side of the finger and on the
back of the hand. Support the back of the
hand with your right hand. Place the fingers
of your working hand beneath your client’s
hand for extra support. Then, using the
outer edge of your working thumb, walk
several times around the base of the little
finger.

When you have completed work on the

shoulder reflex, change over hands and using
your left hand to support the client’s hand,
tilt it towards you. Place the outer edge of
your right thumb onto the lateral side of the
shoulder reflex where the reflex to the arm
and elbow
begins. Thumb walk until you reach the
waist line. Change the position of your
hands again, and with the outer
edge of your left thumb, slide back up the
reflex.

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 Change over hands once more so that you can
support the back of your client’s hand with
your left hand and the fingers with your
working hand. Place your working thumb on
the
lateral side at the base of the index finger.
This is where you will find the beginning of
the lung reflex. Thumb
walk across zones two to five, in the area
between the base of the fingers and the
diaphragm line.

To treat the thymus gland located over the

medial half of the ball of the thumb, turn
over your client’s hand. Support the palm of
the hand with your right hand and thumb
walk across this reflex.

From the thymus gland, work the reflex to

the heart. This is positioned on the palm of
the left hand, in zones two and three, just
above the diaphragm line. Supporting the
back of your client’s hand with your right
hand, thumb walk across this area with your
working hand. Remember that this reflex is
only found in the left hand.

Now work the rib reflex. This is found in all

five zones on the back of the hand, and
covers the area from the base of the fingers
to the diaphragm. Supporting the client’s
hand with your left hand, walk across this
reflex with the index and middle fingers of
your right hand.

Abdomen reflexes

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Start your treatment with the solar plexus
reflex. This is found at the level of the
diaphragm line in zones two and three. Use
your left hand as the supporting hand. Place
the fingers of your right hand at the back of
your client’s hand. With the outer edge of
your working thumb, press and rotate in a
clockwise direction over the reflex.

The liver reflex is found only on the right

hand. It lies between the diaphragm and
waist line in zones three, four and five and
covers the lower half of the metacarpals.
Use your left thumb to walk in horizontal
lines across this reflex area. Start just
below the diaphragm line in zone five.

Continue by rotating your working thumb on

the gall bladder reflex, located in the palm
of the hand, just above waist level in zone
three. This reflex is found only on the right
hand.

Finally, treat the reflex to the sternum.

This is in zone one, on the medial edge of the The reflex for the oesophagus is found on
head of the metacarpal. With your the medial aspect of both thumbs. It
supporting hand in the same position, gently starts at the joint of the first and second
rotate on this point with the thumb of your phalanges and follows a straight line down
right hand. the thumb to the head of the metacarpal
bone. Using your left hand for support,
thumb walk down this reflex with your
working hand.

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 area. It is found below the diaphragm and
above the waist line in zone one on the palm
of the right hand, but in zones one, two and
three on the palm of the left hand.

The pancreas reflex covers only zones one

and two on the right hand, but it covers
zones one, two and three on the left hand.
Supporting the client’s hand with your left
hand, place your working thumb on the
medial edge of your client’s thumb, one
finger’s width above the waist line. Now
thumb walk horizontally across this reflex The reflex for the duodenum is situated on
until you reach the waistline. the waist line in zone one, on the medial
aspect of the thumb. The duodenum forms
the first part of the small intestine.
Supporting your client’s hand with your left
hand, gently rotate on this reflex with the
outer edge of your right thumb.

The small intestine reflex extends over

zones one, two, three and four and covers
the area of the metacarpal bones lying below
the waist line. From the medial side of your
Supporting the back of your client’s hand client’s thumb, thumb walk across the palm
with your left hand, use your right thumb to to the end of zone four. Change hands and
walk in horizontal lines across the reflex thumb walk back to cover the area.
area for the spleen. It is positioned
between the diaphragm line and the waist
line in zones four and five, and is found only
on the left hand. Begin thumb walking at
the lateral edge of zone five, just below the
diaphragm line.

Move your working thumb up slightly to the

ileo-caecal valve reflex. Gently rotate on
this point before thumb walking in a straight
line up the reflex to the ascending colon.
Continue to thumb walk with your working This lies in zones four and five and leads to
hand over the reflex area for the stomach, the hepatic flexure. Press three to four
which joins the end of the oesophagus reflex times on this flexure before moving on.

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 Alter the position of your working thumb so
that it points towards your client’s right
thumb. Thumb walk from the hepatic
flexure, following the waist line, across the
palm of the hand to the medial side of the
thumb in zone one. You have now treated
the first part of the transverse colon.

The remainder of the transverse colon is

found on the left hand. Support the client’s
hand with your right hand, place your
working thumb just below the waist line in
zone one. Following the waist line, thumb
walk across the palm of the client’s hand to
the splenic flexure in zone five.

Follow a straight line across all five zones on

the palm of the hand until you reach the
reflex to the rectum and anus, in zone one.
Then change hands and, supporting your
client’s hand with your right hand, with your
The appendix reflex is found on the right left thumb gently rotate that point.
hand only. Supporting the client’s hand with
your right hand, place your left thumb on the
lateral side of zone four, over the carpal
bones. Your working hand fingers rest on
the back of your client’s hand. With your
working thumb, gently rotate this point.

Keep your working thumb positioned on the

medial part of the bladder reflex in
readiness to treat the reflex to the ureter.
This reflex extends upwards from zone one,
across zone two, terminating just below the
waist line in zone three where it joins the

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reflex to the right kidney. Thumb walk up
and across the hand to that point. The Kidney reflex areas are kidney shaped
and are found in zones two and three on both
hands. Starting from the end of the ureter
reflex, thumb walk to the waist line. Rotate
around this area in a clockwise direction.

The reflex to the right adrenal gland is

found just above the waist line in zone two,
close to the kidney reflex. Rotate on this
point with your thumb in a clockwise
direction. The adrenal gland reflex is also
found on the left hand.
Change over hands and gently press over the
splenic flexure with your right thumb. Then
thumb walk down the descending colon in
zones four and five to the sigmoid flexure. The lower body reflexes
Apply light pressure on that point. Continue
across the sigmoid colon reflex area.

Turn over your client’s hand and rest the

To locate the reflex for the bladder, find palm down. Wrap both your right and left
the point on the medial aspect of your hands around the client’s hand. Position the
client’s right thumb, midway between the outer edge of your right thumb just above
head of the metacarpal and the wrist joint. the wrist, in zones four and five. To treat
Approximately the size of your thumbnail, it the reflex area to the sacro-iliac joint,
extends from the palm of the hand round to gently rotate on this point with your working
the back of the hand. Use the outer edge thumb.
of your right thumb to walk around this area.

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Continue your treatment with the right hip
and knee reflexes. These are both half
moon shaped and are found on the outer
border of the back of the right hand,
between the wrist and the waist line. The
hip reflex extends midway along from the
wrist to the waist line. Use your left hand
for support. Starting just above the wrist
on the outer border of the hand, thumb walk
over one half moon shape.

From the knee reflex, move your working

The reflex area to the sciatic nerve is found thumb to the wrist, just below the point
across the wrist on the front of the hand. where you started your treatment to the hip
Wrap your right hand around your client’s reflex. This will bring you to the right
hand and, with the outer edge of your right ovary reflex, or the right testis. Gently
thumb, walk across the wrist from the rotate on this point for a few seconds.
medial side to the lateral edge. This reflex Apply only light pressure.
may be sensitive; in some cases you may find
it easier to support the client’s hand with
your other hand.

On reaching the medial side of the hand you

will find a small hollow, slightly above the
back of the wrist and in line with the web
between the thumb and index finger. This
hollow contains the reflex area to the uterus
or prostate. Changing hands, wrap your
right hand around your patient’s hand and
Without altering the position of your left
gently rotate your working thumb on this
hand, place the outer edge of your right
reflex.
thumb over the fifth metacarpal bone, on
the top lateral side of your client’s hand.
Reflexes on the back of the hand
This is where the pelvic muscles reflex is
located. The area corresponds to the
muscles of the pelvic region on the right side
of the body. Thumb walk over the reflex
several times.

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 Supporting the client’s hand with your left
hand, place your working thumb on the
knuckle of the little finger. Thumb walk in
horizontal lines across the right breast
reflex to the diaphragm line.

Retaining the position of your left hand, and

using it as the supporting hand, move your
working thumb down to just above the waist
The knee reflex continues from the hip line. Then thumb walk horizontally across all
reflex to the waist line. Thumb walk over five zones to the wrist. This covers the
the other half moon shaped reflex which reflex area to the mid back.
ends just below the waist line.

The remainder of the lymphatic system

reflex area covers all five zones, from the
From the right ovary or right testis reflex,
webs of the fingers down towards the wrist
thumb walk across the wrist to the medial
bones. With either the right thumb or
side of the hand. This covers the area to
fingers, walk down the back of your client’s
the right fallopian tube reflex in a female or
hand, between the metacarpal bones and
the right vas deferens reflex in a male.
over the wrist bones.

Finishing the treatment on the hands

Begin your massage with kneading. Place one

The breast reflex area is found above the of your hands across the back of your
diaphragm line and covers all five zones.

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client’s hand and the clenched fist of the
other on the palm. Pressing both your hands
into the client’s hand, make circular
movements. This is an excellent technique
for stimulating energy in the body and for
strengthening and improving the hand’s
general structure.

Start your treatment of the lymphatic

system with the lymph nodes to the right
armpit. The reflex for these lymph nodes is
found over the knuckle of the little finger. Starting near the wrist, pull your hands up
Still using your left hand to support the towards you client’s fingers. Repeat this
client’s hand, thumb walk around this area several times. This action works by making
with your right hand. the body, especially the spine, feel as though
it is being stretched upwards. It is
extremely effective in helping to release any
tension in the spine, muscles and organs.

The lymph drainage reflex is treated last.

Using the thumb and finger of your right
hand, gently press and slide off the webs
between the fingers. Start on the lateral
side of the hand and finish between the
thumb and the index finger, on the main Using very gentle stroking movements over
drainage point. your client’s hands, massage both the palm
and the back. Start at the wrist on the
client’s palm and stroke lightly upwards with
the fingers of both hands. Turn your
client’s hand over and repeat the light
upward strokes on the back.

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 your client. Remain in this position for as
long as you feel necessary.

Wrap your hands around your client’s hand,

at the base of the fingers. Gently twist the
client’s hand back and forth in a wringing
action as you move slowly down towards the
wrist. This action is beneficial for
spreading out the bones in the hand, and it
works similarly on the organs of the body.

Position your fingers on the palm, and your

thumbs on the back of the client’s hand.
Using tiny circular movements, massage the
back of the hand, starting from the base of
the fingers and working your way down and
around the wrist bones. This technique can
be extremely relaxing.

When you have finished treating both hands,

lay the palms of your hands against those of

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