The term reflexology is thrown about rather too casually in the spa industry. Not knowing the truth from the hearsay, TOAD sends Caitlyn Davey to find out what the deal is.
The promise:
To promote flow and relaxation though applying massage and pressure to the feet.
The experience:
The Hiltonia Spa is an impressive space, we note as we stroll by the extensive gym and other health and fitness options here. As the friendly staff welcome us and hand us a robe and slippers, we have a look around and wish we had remembered to bring a swimming costume for the hot tub and sauna later. Oh well, it’s reflexology we’re here for today, and we can’t wait to try it. We have always been interested in reflexology but have only ever experienced a short sample of this alternative treatment before. The thinking behind the process is that the feet are connected to and communicate with the vital organs, and a reflexology treatment can assist the bodily functions through this.
We settle on our back, and the therapist begins by relaxing our feet, gently massaging them. She then proceeds to gently pinch our toes and apply pressure on different parts of our feet without oil. It’s not as soothing as we expect, but it doesn’t feel too bad. We feel small twinges throughout our body as the therapist traverses our feet. As she begins to drag her fingers over our tired feet, we begin to lull into a relaxed state. There are small movements that make us twitch a little, and at one point of pressure on our foot, it feels like our stomach twinges. It’s a bizarre sensation and we begin to enjoy it, so much so that we doze off to sleep. We wake up not long after and feel calm, and the twinges have stopped. Our feet and ankles feel good as new and when it’s over, we feel refreshed.
The results:
We feel calm and relaxed, and our feet feel loosened. We feel better inside, our breathing and blood flow seems to have improved.
The pros:
It’s a treat for our feet to have all the attention and we do feel our circulation and breathing has improved from the treatment. It’s so relaxing, we managed to doze off!
The cons:
As nice as it is, we felt we then wanted a full-body massage after (call us demanding). But it felt a little inconclusive without a full-body rub down.
4/4
Reflexology Dhs310 for non-members, Open daily 9am-9pm, Hiltonia Spa & Health Club (02 692 433).
