- 2500 BC China Beginnings of Acupuncture in China
- 2330 BC Egypt Tomb of Ankhm'ahor built depicting practice of surgical operations, or treatment of both hands and feet
- 1582 AD Europe The first book on zone therapy is published by Doctors Adamus and A'tatis
- 1776 AD Per Hernick Ling was noted for his gymnastic; lingism, as it was later known, was the treatment of disease with both active and passive moves
- 1800 AD Britian Treatment by Acupuncture was introduced and the term 'reflex' used by many medical men
- 1800 AD (abt) Japan Reiki an energy based healing system based on an old Tibetan texts, came forward from the teachings of Dr Mikao Usui; the theory was that the ki, (life force) was channelled through the practitioner, who in turn would convey this Rei ( Universal life Energy) through the practitioner's hands and into whoever needed it
- Late 1800s Germany Mendel-Bekhterev reflex response was found showing dysfunction in the corticospinal tract; Kurt MEndel (1874- 1946) a neurologist. Hermann Oppenheim (1858-1936), a neurologist, found when pressure was applied on the tibial crest there is a fanning of all toes and an extension of the great toe.
- 1892 AD France Dr Joseph Francois Felix Babinski (1875 - 1942) a neurologist, ascertained the plantar reflex.
- 1893 AD England Sir Henry Head (1861-1940) a neurologist, published research proving a direct relationship between pressure applied to the skin and the effect on internal organs. Later this was clarified to be the effects of dermatomes
- 1895 AD United States Dr William Fitzgerald (1872 - 1942) the originator of the theory of zone therapy
- 1913 -20 AD Washington Fitzgerald went to Washington to teach and lecture to Shelby-Riley students
- 1917 AD United States Edwin Bowers MD and William Fitzgerald MD published Zone Therapy and many other books during that time
- 1919 AD United States Dr Joe Shelby-Riley published first of 12 books about Zone Therapy
- 1928 AD Russia Bekhterev has his work translated into English
- 1938 AD United States Eunice Ingham (24 February 1889 - 10 December 1974) published 'Stories the Feet Can Tell'
- 1945 AD United States Eunice Ingham published 'Stories the Feet Have Told'
- 1949 AD United States Dr Roy S Ashton published 'The Fundamental System Bad Feet-Bad Spine showing the connection between foot abnormalities and the spine
- 1955 AD United States Harry Bond Bressler published his book Zone Therapy confirming all of Dr William Fitzgerald's work
- 1966 AD England Doreen Bayly returned from America after training with Eunice Ingham and introduced reflexology to Britain; she published her first foot chart in Black and White in 1966 entitled 'The Eunice Ingham method chart produced by Doreen Bayly'
- 1978 England 'Reflexology Today, The Stimulation of The Body's Healing Forces Through Foot Massage' was published by Doreen Bayly. Her earlier chart was reproduced in colour in 1970
- 1978 Taiwan Father Joseph Eugster began his dedicated work, teaching reflexology
- 1980s England Complementary medicine and reflexology specifically became a growth area; by this time over 80 books had now been written, and many articles, some with conflicting points but many stating a similar theme. Societies and associations were formed from 1983 onwards around the world. Schools were set up with many offering short training programmes leading to a certification to practice
** Reflexology, The Definitive Practitioner's Manual, by Beryl Crane, Published Element 1997
