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Reflexology is a very old idea. In fact there are pictures in the Egyptian tomb of Ankhmahor showing people working on other people's hands and feet. The inscription with the mural reads, "Please do not hurt me." And the reply, "I will treat you in such a way so that you will praise me." It is suggested that in ancient India and China people also worked the feet to improve health.
During the late 1800's Dr. Alfons Cornelius, a German physician, had discovered that applying pressure on painful areas of the body resulted in accelerated healing and numbing of pain. Our more modern methods of Reflexology began to take form in the early 1900's when Dr. William Fitzgerald brought the notion of improving the rate of healing by working on specific areas of the foot to North America. He co-authored "Zone Therapy or Relieving Pain in the Home" with Dr. Edwin Bowers back in 1917. In 1919 they expanded the book and re-named it "Zone Therapy or Curing Pain and Disease". These men explored the uses and benefits of Reflexology (called Zone Therapy back then) in their own practices, and promoted the idea to other doctors.
Eunice Ingham is the one who gave Reflexology its current name, and promoted its benefits to doctors and laypeople alike. Residing in Florida, she travelled all over the country teaching and promoting for over thirty years, until 1970. Since then Reflexology has grown in popularity internationally, and is helping people of all ages realize improvement in their health and well being.