Scottish Institute of Reflexology

BOOK REVIEW 2

The Complete Guide to Foot Reflexology
(3rd Edition)
ISBN0-9606070-1-3  HEALTH $21.95 (about £15)
Barbara and Kevin Kunz

I arrived home from Dunblane to find this book on the doorstep.  (Must train the postman to use the bin.)

For an American publication I found only 4 gripes – Homunculous is an adjective, Homunculus is a noun, Myalgia has no ‘e’ after the g, and Hiatal, rather than hiatus, hernia.  At least I never found the word ‘calcaneus’!! which, anatomically, and in Latin, is calcaneuM. (Just checked the dictionary. Either allowed! So much for 4 years of classical education.) ‘Desserts’ for ‘relaxation techniques’ makes me squirm, but I can’t think of another word at present.
That said I am delighted to have this revised edition.

It is a book every student would find helpful.  It would be an easy read for pre-exam revision.    It touches all the main topics that would jog one’s memory for the fine details given by the tutor.

The 9 chapters cover:  History and Theory; Techniques; Assessment; The Session; an  excellent chapter on Professionalism and setting up the practice; Research - which is Barbara and Kevin’s forte; easy A & P – good for a quick revision. One chapter deals with techniques for specific disorders and the last chapter is on developing skills in communication, documentation and stress pattern observation.

Perhaps Professor Ernst should see pp156 on ‘Criteria for Medical application’
There is a fairly comprehensive bibliography of controlled studies.

The drawings are clear and helpful.  One day the pituitary will be standardised!
I’m not sure if it is available in England yet.
Further details about the book and the KUNZES work are on www.reflexology-research.com  www.foot-reflexologist.com  and www.myreflexologist.com
       Cecily Mills M.S.I.R.
Interesting the spellcheck wanted to change both hiatal and calcaneus.

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