How to Massage Your Own Feet

Those poor little tootsies of yours have to work hard day in and day out. Walking the corridors of business, doing the housework, going shopping, meeting up with your friends, whatever – it all involves your feet. You deserve time out and they deserve some time out too. Treating them to a little foot massage from time to time is a great way of repaying them for all the hard work they do. If you are short of time, this how to massage your own feet could be the treat your feet are looking for.

Why a Foot Massage Feels So Good

Of course, it’s not only about giving your feet a nice little reward; it works for the rest of you too. How so? Well, research indicates that massaging any part of your body, your feet included, has health benefits.

A foot massage activates your body’s nervous system. It increases the production of “feel-good” chemicals such as endorphins that get released by your brain. Apparently, one study showed that patients who were given foot massages after surgery to remove their appendixes experienced less pain and used fewer painkillers as a result.

Massaging your feet boosts blood circulation. It assists in general healing and helps to keep your muscles and tissues in top-top condition. It can be of real benefit if you have other health problems, too – things like poor circulation or diabetes-generated peripheral neuropathy. The fact is that more than three out of four Americans deal with foot ailments of one kind or another in their lifetimes.

But even if you don’t have any other health issues, a foot massage is still beneficial. Getting those pleasure-giving endorphins a chance to do their things is always going to feel good. It can also help you spot any footsie-type issues that develop – bunions, corns, verrucas, etc. The earlier these things are spotted, the better the chances of dealing with them.

Having a foot massage done by a professional foot masseur is amazing. However, it does cost money, and it’s not always easy to find one in your area. If you live with a partner, you might persuade them to massage your feet for you. But if all else fails, you can do it yourself.

Special Tip for Stiletto Wearers

If you wear very high stiletto heels a lot and you are getting severe ball of the foot pain, massage will not be enough. You might need some Stiletto Tricks

Special Disclaimer

There are layers of fatty padding at the heel and the ball of the feet. These are normal. In some feet this fatty padding is greatly diminished, or non-existent. If you are one of them, or your skin is very fragile – please go very very very gently with massage – or even not at all. It is important not to damage the skin or the underlying blood vessels, nerves and bones. If you are unsure, please check with your podiatrist or professional massage therapist.

The DIY Foot Massage

woman massaging her tired feet

Here’s how to do a do-it-yourself foot massage. You can do it yourself, or if you’ve got a like-minded friend, you can massage each others’ feet.

• Start by washing your feet, then make sure to dry them well.
• Apply your choice of oil or lotion. Don’t pour it onto your feet. Apply it to your hands, being sure to cover your fingers and your palms.
• Rub the oil/lotion all over your feet.
• Next, grip the top of your foot with both of your hands, and slowly but firmly work your way from each toe in turn, down to the base of your foot, and up to your ankle, using small circular motions.
• Next, the soles of your feet. Providing your body is still quite supple, you should be able to do this without any problem.
• The skin we have on the soles of our feet is thicker as it has to stand up to the daily wear and tear, so you can apply more pressure. Work your way from the tops of your toes, slowly down toward your heel.
• It’s also a good opportunity to loosen any stiff joints by rotating your feet and your toes.

The Achilles Massage

If you ever have trouble with your Achilles tendon (it can often get tight, especially after exercising ), it too will benefit from a massage. To do this, grip the front of the ankle with one hand, and with the other, pinch the back of the ankle between your thumb and forefinger, and still squeezing, run slowly down towards your heel. Repeat as many times as necessary

The Ball Massage

If your feet are too far away, your arms are too short or if you can’t bear to touch your own feet,  you could consider “The Ball Massage”. This is a simple and effective massage technique.

• Sit in a chair
• You can keep your socks on, if you like.
• Place a soft prickly ball or even a used tennis ball on the floor
• If you can reach your feet, you can hold the ball
• Gently lift your foot and position onto the ball.
• Apply a little pressure (not too much) and roll the ball around under your foot.
• Be surprised how good it can feel!

Experiment with Reflexology

I don’t know if you believe in reflexology. Even if you’re a skeptic, but you’d like to try it out, now’s the time. Reflexology works on the theory of Qi, which is pronounced “Chee.” It is supposedly the invisible energy field of life that flows through different parts or zones of your body. You might be familiar with this concept if you know about acupuncture.

It is claimed that by stimulating the different parts of the underside of your feet and toes, reflexology can remove any blockages, restoring your body’s natural flow of Qi. If you’d like to give it a try, here is a chart showing which foot parts correlate to other parts of your body. Hey, it’s even offered as a way of relieving PMS pain, so why not give a whirl?

A day in the life of a busy person makes feet work really hard. Shoes, hard floors, carrying heavy items, standing and uneven surfaces all take their toll on our poor tortured feet. Now you’ve had a taste of how to massage your own feet, with your hands or a ball, your tootsies will thank you.​