Foot massage has been around for hundreds of years to improve health and relax the body, and today’s foot massage also incorporates disciplines such as acupressure and reflexology. These traditions work on the idea that putting pressure on the more than 7,000 nerves in the foot releases energy blockages elsewhere in the body. Foot massage and reflexology can be used to relieve pain, help relieve stress, and even speed recovery from injuries.
Traditionally, foot massage is done by hand, although treatment may sometimes include the use of sticks or rollers to more effectively stimulate the reflex areas of the foot. Whether you’re giving yourself a foot massage or enjoying a treatment from a masseuse, a foot massage is a beneficial massage treatment that has a positive effect on your entire body.
Foot massage has many benefits, including:
- A foot massage can help relax your entire body, help you sleep better, and rejuvenate you.
- Massaging the extremities helps to circulate blood around the body and promotes cell repair and growth.
- The pressure exerted on the solar plexus area of the feet causes the body’s stress hormone cortisol to drop.
Foot massage steps:
- wash your feet (and dry)
- Apply lotion or oil to hands, covering fingers and palms.
- Rub your feet, making sure to also between the toes.
- Hold the top of each foot with both hands and use your thumbs to make small circular motions on each toe, from the bottom of the foot all the way to the ankle.
- Now do the same with the soles of your feet and increase the pressure, starting at the top of your toes and working your way down to your heels.
- You may also want to loosen the joints by twisting and rotating your feet and toes.
- Now press firmly but lightly on the footpad, this is where you will find the reflexology points, you can use the image below to locate certain areas. Reflexologists believe that certain parts of the foot correspond to other parts of the body, see the foot reflex zone chart.
- Repeat the above steps on the other foot.
