Foot reflexology · zone 3, 4, 5
Liver — Right foot
Placement
Location: On the sole of the right foot between the diaphragm line and the waist line, spanning zones 3-5 - the largest single area on either foot. Every school places the liver on the right foot only; charts differ mainly over how far medially the area is allowed to reach.
Longitudinal zone(s): 3, 4, 5 of 5
Side: right foot
Tradition: Shared across schools
Traditional use
Traditionally worked with a broad thumb-walk in several passes as part of a digestive sequence.
Reflexology is a traditional practice, not an evidence-based medical treatment. Systematic reviews have not shown it to be effective for any medical condition. These maps document what practitioners traditionally use — they are not claims about how the body works.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the liver reflex area on the foot?
On the sole of the right foot between the diaphragm line and the waist line, spanning zones 3-5 - the largest single area on either foot. Every school places the liver on the right foot only; charts differ mainly over how far medially the area is allowed to reach.
Which tradition does this placement come from?
Shared across schools. The major schools broadly agree on this placement.
Does pressing this area treat the organ it is named after?
No. Reflexology maps are traditional diagrams, not descriptions of anatomy or physiology. Systematic reviews have not found reflexology to be an effective treatment for any medical condition.
Sources
References displayed on this page were recorded with the point dataset.
- Eunice D. Ingham, "Stories the Feet Can Tell Thru Reflexology" (1938) and "Stories the Feet Have Told Thru Reflexology" (1951) Ingham original foot charts, plantar view
- Dwight C. Byers, "Better Health with Foot Reflexology: The Original Ingham Method" International Institute of Reflexology foot charts
- Chinese foot reflex-zone charts (足部反射区) as taught in the Chinese foot-massage tradition Standard Chinese plantar and dorsal reflex-zone chart
- Wikipedia, "Reflexology" Zone-therapy framework; documents that published reflexology maps are not consistent with one another