5 Foot Massage Techniques You Can Try at Home

From the moment you get up until the moment you go to bed, your feet do a lot of walking, but probably hardly ever thank you for it. When evening comes, your feet may be tired, a bit painful, and if you have been standing or walking for a long time, they might be swollen a little. The great thing is that you don't always have to get a professional foot treatment to make your feet feel better. A few simple steps and about 10 minutes spent lying on the sofa can really help.

Of course, the best thing is a professional foot massage in Leamington Spa to a therapist who understands your body well so knows exactly where tension is stored. But between the times, here are five self-help foot massage techniques that won't take much of your time or effort. Before starting, warm your hands, possibly use a bit of oil or lotion, and keep each step slow and gentle.

1. Thrumb walk the bottom of the foot

This is where you should begin to get the massage party started. Holding your foot with both hands, use your thumbs to make a series of tiny pressing motions along the length of the sole, going from the heel all the way to the toe area. Make sure that you are not dragging, simply pressing and lifting, pressing and lifting. It's like your thumbs are actually walking (Because of this the name). Make sure you give the sole a good one-to-two-minute walk.

2. The arch press

After spending a day on our feet, the arch is one of the places where most of us tend to hold stress. So first wrap your fingers around the top of your foot and then use your thumbs to press the arch very firmly. Afterwards, move your thumbs slowly towards the heel. Do it a few times. Discover a sensitive spot, hold your pressure a bit without poking.

3. Toe pulls and rolls

Shoeing toes is quite an offense so they rattle around a bit for relief through movement. One at a time, gently stretch each toe to create a little space, then roll it slowly between your finger and thumb. Don't stop until you have done all five. It seems complicated but it is strangely gratifying, plus it loosens the joints quite nicely.

4. The knuckle glide

Using your thumbs may cause your hands to get tired so switch to a knuckle. Clench your fist a little bit and press your knuckles against the sole. Then slowly move your knuckles from the heel to the toe, keeping the pressure even. It goes a little deeper than your thumbs are capable of and works well for that pesky central band of the foot.

5. Ankle circles in the end

You can round off the session by holding your heel with one hand and slowly rotating your foot in big circles with the other, a few times in each direction. This is hardly pressure work, it just relaxes the ankle and stimulates the blood flow before you stand up again. Wrap up with a few gentle touches from the toe to the ankle, and you are finished.

And that is the complete set of exercises. Perform a session on one foot, then the other, and you will notice the change immediately.

Just one more thing: always regulate the pressure to a tolerable level, never make it painful, and if you have an injury, a circulation disorder or a problem that has been bothering you for a long time, simply forgo the self-massage. Instead, it is better to consult a specialist rather than just trying to guess. Now, apart from all this, spending a few minutes with your own hands is just a wonderful little habit to add to your evening routine.