Aching Feet?

Your feet are the foundation of your body and your balance, and they work hard every day. This time of year our feet can get some extra abuse –  hours on our feet shopping for the holidays, squeezing into uncomfortable shoes as we dress up for parties and gatherings, or shuffling stiffly in winter boots as we shovel early winter snow!

Just like the rest of your body, your feet can really benefit from a good massage.  Foot massage is deeply relaxing, it helps improves circulation, and can often eases pain.  According to Chinese medicine, all the meridians (energy pathways) in the body are reflected in the feet, so a good foot massage is good for your entire body.  Giving some love to the part of us that is farthest away from our eyes and attention also gives us a chance to check out our feets health, by noticing issues with our toenails, or blisters, bunions,  and corns.

Below are some suggestions for giving yourself a foot massage.  And check out the links below to videos you can watch for “do-it-yourself” foot massages.  Feeling generous?  Give a foot massage to someone in your life who could use a treat (besides yourself, of course!)

Self-Care foot massage

If you have time, prep for your foot massage with a nice bath, or a foot soak in warm water with epsom salts.  Got just five minutes, dig right in!  Great to do right before bed, for a deep relaxing sleep!

1. PREP what you need.   If you have some lavender or other essential oil, and some massage oil (I love Jojoba, or try coconut oil) or cream, have those ready.
2. SIT in a comfortable chair, or on your bed or the floor. Bend your left leg and rest your left foot gently on your right thigh if you are in a chair, or just bend your leg in if you are on the floor or bed.
3. Put a few drops of essential oil on your palms and rub your hands together and bring your hands to your nose.  BREATH DEEPLY for a few breaths and invite your to body relax.
4. POUR some OIL into your hands and rub them together.  Then place your hands on and around your foot and slowly RUB the OIL gently into your whole foot including the toes, arch, and heel.
5. BEGIN to MASSAGE the sole of your foot.  Close your eyes and do what feels good.
   1. Do lots of thumb circles from heel to toes.
   2. Knead your foot as you would bread.
   3. Press with your thumbs from the heel up to the ball of your foot, ending between your toes, starting with the big toe and moving to baby toe.
   4. Work in the arch of your foot with two thumbs in a circular motion
   5. Find a hard “knot”, or tender spot?  Hold the foot with both hands and gently press your thumbs into the tight areas until you feel them release.  Then do some gentle thumb circles in the area.
   6. Gently rub between and up the toes, pull back and forth or apart. Then press all five toes away from the sole of the foot to stretch the plantar facia
   7. REPEAT on your other foot.

TRUST yourself, and just enjoy the process!
Need watch some videos on this?  See some links below.

Want a massage on more than your feet? 

Call us at 508-788-7300, and book your massage with us today!

HERE ARE SOME Self-Massage VIDEOS/Illustrations TO CHECK OUT!

1.DIY Pain-Relieving Foot Massage Using Reflexology | Thrive Market

2.  Self Foot Massage- Do While Watching

3. Wiki How: How to Give Yourself a Foot Massage