On day to day basis, our feet handle a lot of work and stress. Despite of all that, they are usually the most neglected part of our body. And moreover, due to the long distance from heart, it has less blood circulation than other body parts.
A foot massage is one of the best ways to deal with both the issues – as it relaxes the muscles and improves the blood circulation as well.
With that being said… Do you know that pressure points present in the feet are responsible for healing many health ailments? Yes, that’s true.
For over many centuries and traditions (Indian, China, Egypt) foot massage is one of the ancient practices to deal with several health conditions that include arthritis, diabetes, plantar fasciitis, anxiety and several others.
Even the modern medical practices and scientific studies have proven their importance and promoted as reflexology. This treatment includes applying some pressure on some acupressure points present on the feet – which are end points of specific nerves that are connected vital organs.
Once these nerve points are stimulated, our body naturally acts to heal or repair itself. Isn’t this amazing! In this article, we have clearly explained several health benefits of using a foot massager.
If you think that getting a foot massage daily can be expensive, then just invest in a foot massager. For more details on which one to choose and how to choose, read this article.
Table of Contents
What is a Foot Massager?
As the name suggests, this a machine that is used to massage the feet. Few minutes of massage daily keeps your feet strong, flexible and healthy. In fact, foot massage has been practiced and recommended in different cultures and medical practices for improving a person’s well-being.
How Does a Foot Massager Work?
The main working principle of foot massager is – targeting pressure points which will not only help in relaxing the feet but also improve overall physical and mental well-being. Many people have reported that after using a foot massager for 10 minutes daily, they have experienced improved mood, reduced anxiety, lowered blood pressure and several others. Apart from that, a foot massager also has several health benefits that include reducing migraines, headaches, speed up wood healing, treat arthritis, improves liver function, improves blood circulation, nerve sensitivity and several others.
What Health Conditions Can Foot Massager Deal With?
As already mentioned in the above article, a foot massager has several benefits that include but not limited to nerve stimulation, pain relief, improved blood circulation, relaxation and others.
A foot massager is very helpful in terms of dealing with symptoms or treating many health issues. We have mentioned them clearly below…
1. Relaxation
One of the instant things you can experience while using a foot massager is relaxation. In today’s working conditions, we have to spend a lot of time either sitting or standing – this makes your muscles stressed. When you sit for longer periods of time, this position stops or reduces blood circulation to your lower part of the body. On the contrary, if you spend a lot of time standing or walking, it can lead to swollen, tired, and sore feet. Using a foot massager deals with both the conditions by working on the muscles and pressure points to provide relief.
2. Decreased Blood Circulation
Poor blood circulation can be one of the reasons for many health conditions. When you sit for longer periods of time, this position stops or reduces blood circulation to your lower part of the body. If you are experiencing cold every time, then reduced blood circulation can be the main reason. Using a foot massager helps to stimulate blood circulation and make feet warmer. It is achieved by working on the feet muscles the same way when you engage in physical activity. This increases blood circulation – which in turn provides nutrients and oxygen to feet muscles, leading to warmth. This process can also be enhanced through heated massage feature. This will not only warm up the feet but also dilate blood vessel cells allowing more blood to reach them.
3. Neuropathy
People who are dealing with chronic diseases like diabetes can develop neuropathy at some time in life. But using a foot massager helps you counter the symptoms by stimulating the nerves present in the soles. This in turn eliminates the tightness and numbness that are often caused by neuropathy.
4. Plantar Fasciitis
This is a common medical condition that occurs when the ligament present between the heels and toes gets stressed or inflamed. It has to be treated on time, otherwise you may have to change your posture and walking position. Fortunately, a foot massager is the best way to deal with plantar fasciitis at the comfort of your home. If you are experiencing pain in the arch or sides of feet, then you should find a foot massager that is capable of targeting the same.
5. Headaches and Migraines
Most of us are aware of the fact that our feet are covered with several pressure points which have different effects on our body. According to reflexology, these pressure points can relieve pain and improve relaxation. If you want to get complete benefits from reflexology, then you have to purchase a foot massager that has shiatsu or kneading functionalities. Targeting pressure points present on toes helps to reduce headache and their intensity.
According to a study conducted in Norway, people struggling with migraines and headaches have received great progress after taking reflexology treatments. They have also stopped taking medications 3 months after the treatment.
6. Pains After Running
People who run long distances, especially athletes experience pain in their feet. A high quality foot massager eliminates knots and tightness of muscles that are common after running. Some people may also experience pain in the calves. Fortunately, some massagers are capable of targeting those as well.
7. Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition where the joints get inflamed. This condition can be either acute or chronic where it can lead to fluid retention and swollen feet. A foot massager can be helpful in reducing arthritis symptoms. Look for a foot massager that comes with heat functionality.
8. Bunions
People having bunions experience pain constantly. The reason for this condition can be either hereditary or non-hereditary. Foot massagers can be helpful for this condition as they relax the muscles. For treating bunions, we recommend looking for a foot massager that is capable of massaging soles and sides of your heat using shiatsu.
9. Lower Back Pain
Though it may seem wired, a foot massager is very helpful in relieving lower back pain. In some cases, lower back pain can be caused due to improper posture which can also lead to pain in feet and legs. A foot massager can be helpful in relieving the pain and improving the posture. This can eventually reduce the back pain.
10. Menstrual Pain
Certain pressure points present in the feet are known to relieve menstrual pain. Based up on the reflexology being used, a foot massager can reduce menstrual pain quickly. While purchasing a foot massager for reducing menstrual pain, we recommend looking for a model that can target calves and soles of the feet.
11. Induce Labor
Based up on several technological principles, foot massage is well-known to induce labor. However, for doing this, you have to target as many acupressure points as possible. Apart from that, it has massage soles and sides of the feet. However, before using a foot massager for inducing labor, it is better to consult your physician.
12. Prevention of Foot and Ankle Injury
A foot massage is helpful in reliving joint pain and support recovery from injury and muscles soreness. When massage is combined with ankle and foot strengthening exercises then it can prevent future injuries and fasten up the recovery process for the current ones. 10 – 15 minutes, massage once in a week will help to reduce the chances of danger injury.
13. Boosting Immunity
A foot massage not only helps in improving blood flow but also alters the blood structure in a positive way. After getting a foot massage for 20 minutes, you will have higher blood protein amounts which are well known for defending tumors and infections. This has been concluded after comparing blood samples of participants in a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
14. Improving Sleep Quality
Getting a foot massage before going to bed is very helpful in improving sleep. It will help your body to unwind the nerves and enhance the blood circulation. This in turn leads to relaxed sleep.
15. Relief from Cancer Symptoms and Chemotherapy Side Effects
According to a study conducted in 2001 by experts from University of California and Journal of Cancer Nursing, foot massage has helped cancer patients to relief from nausea and pain. As per a test conducted by University of Michigan in 2013, foot massager was prescribed for participating individuals who are suffering with breast cancer. After few days of using it for few times in a month, individuals have noticed tremendous relief from physical symptoms linked with cancer like enhanced energy levels and breath shortness.
16. Symptom Relief from Multiple Sclerosis
Foot massage is capable of providing relief from fatigue which is common symptom faced by many people with multiple sclerosis. This theory is tested and confirmed by a multi-campus group of Iranian researchers.
17. Post-Operative Surgical Recovery
An important aspect of any surgery is recovery process during which freedom of movement and normal movement is relearned. Having foot massage is very helpful in improving and fastening up the recovery process.
18. Improving Brain Power
As per traditional Chinese medicine, adjusting reflex points in the feet can activate blood circulation to brain and improve balance of brain processes. Many studies and clinical trials have tested and concluded the same.
19. Lowers High Blood Pressure
Elevated blood pressure levels have become a common health condition for many people. This condition is triggered due to stress and unbalanced diet. However, in some cases it can also be caused due to genetic and environmental factors. According to a study conducted on health care staff dealing with dementia patients – Â a 10-minute foot massage up to 3 times in a week helps in improving blood pressure, mood and reduce anxiety.
20. Reduces Anxiety and Depression
As per certain scientific studies conducted in terms of reflexology impacts, it is concluded that a foot massage calms the mind. Regular sessions of foot massage are known to decrease anxiety even in cancer patients. According to research conducted in 2014 by Australian scientists from Griffith University, individuals with high stress have felt decreased anxiety and better mood after a ten-minute foot massage.
21. Decrease Nausea
According to a research published in peer-reviewed scientific journal cancer nursing, targeted foot massage therapy is known to reduce nausea feeling in people who are undergoing chemotherapy.
How to Use Foot Massager for Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a common medical condition that is related to pain and discomfort in the feels. Usually, it is faced by middle aged people however in certain cases younger people also face it. Plantar fascia is a ligament that connects the heel bone and toes base. When an inflammation occurs in this ligament, it leads to unbearable pain – referred as plantar fasciitis.
If this problem is not addressed properly, then they symptoms and pain will increase day by day. Understanding the problem clearly helps to diminish the severity of the symptoms.
Guidelines on How to Treat Plantar Fasciitis
First thing to understand is that plantar fasciitis is very common for athletes, especially runners. Giving enough rest and recovery time is helpful in relieving the pain and reduce the severity of this condition.
Apart from that, another important thing to consider is wearing the right footwear – which can support heels and arch. Apart from that, it should also absorb the shocks. And footwear should also have right amount of cushioning to prevent aggravation of the condition.
Another beneficial thing you can do to treat plantar fasciitis is – massage therapy. For several hundreds of years, massage has been an effective way to treat several health conditions. It is also helpful in rejuvenating, relaxing and alleviating pain in legs and feet. Some manufacturers have specially designed and developed certain foot massagers to deal with such conditions.
How Can a Foot Massager Help in Recovering from Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a very inconvenient and frustrating condition. However, a foot massage is an effective of treating this condition and getting relief from pain. As it is completely natural, you don’t have to worry about its potential side effects. Below, we have mentioned several reasons that make a foot massager best possible way of relieving plantar fasciitis.
- Increasing Blood Circulation
This is one of the most important and clinically verified benefits of getting a massage. Circulation mainly concentrates on disturbing and regulating blood cells to all parts of the body. Apart from that, it also redirects harmful cells to specific parts responsible for their removal or repairing.
Actually, blood flow in our lower body part (especially legs) is less compared to our upper body part. This can be due to the distance between legs and heart. However, massaging helps in regulating circulation which is not happening under normal circumstances. This process not only helps with dealing plantar fasciitis but also several other health complications like diabetes and others.
According to certain clinical studies, people who combined massage therapy with stretching have experienced positive results in dealing with the symptoms and pain caused by plantar fasciitis.
- Improving Relaxation
Stress can wreak havoc on your mental health and cause discomfort in your daily life as well. Massaging helps in improving relaxation, enhancing the overall wellbeing. If it is said in science related terms – a foot massager helps in improving homeostasis which happens when our body works in unity. This results in releasing chemicals or hormones related to relaxation. This also helps in reducing negative feelings that results in anxiety, anger, frustration, irritation and others.
- Reducing Soreness and Discomfort
If you recently had an injury or suffering from plantar fasciitis, you may be experiencing some of its effects like soreness, joint pain, swelling and others. Massaging helps a lot in terms of dealing such difficulties. And moreover, when you combine foot massage with certain muscle strengthening exercises, you can improve muscle strength and prevent any major injuries.
Things to Consider While Using a Massager for Plantar Fasciitis
If you want to use a foot massager for treating plantar fasciitis condition, then you have to consider certain factors to get most of its benefits. We have mentioned them below for your convenience.
- Plantar fasciitis condition occurs in the ligament between heel and arch of the feet. So, your foot massager should focus mainly on these areas. Some foot massagers in the market concentrate on the whole feet or legs – they don’t provide much results in dealing with this condition.
- Intensity is another important factor to consider. Never use high intensity or too low intensity to address this condition or any other problem. If you are suffering from arthritis, plantar fasciitis, or any other severe medical condition, choose an intensity that isn’t harsh.
- Plantar fasciitis is a condition that is repetitive for athletes, runners, hikers, cyclists and other sports persons. However, you can prevent them from getting again by having foot massages. Other important things to consider for preventing plantar fasciitis are – wearing right shoes that have enough support and comfort.
If the problem is severe, then it is better to consult a verified professional. Never take this condition lightly as it is a very stubborn condition.
Frequently Asked Questions?
The market is filled with several options for foot massagers. Well, not every one of them can be worth the investment. However, there are some of them which are totally worth the money you spend on it. No matter whether it is manual or automatic, a foot massager provides exceptional performance. When a foot massager is used to massage your feet, blood circulation is improved and relieves foot pain.
Yes, foot massager is very helpful in dealing with diabetic neuropathy as it improves blood circulation all over the body which eventually decreases pain and inflammation. While having a foot massage, our brain releases endorphin hormones that are helpful in increasing blood insulin levels. This eventually decreases insulin resistance thus reducing diabetic level. Not all foot massagers available in the market is good for dealing with diabetes so choose carefully. If you aren’t aware how to choose, then get a medical professional’s help.
Conclusion
A foot massager is not only a great way of releasing the daily stress but also improving both physical and mental health. Even several studies and evidences have proven that 10 minutes of daily foot massage is helpful in dealing with several health issues.
The price of investing in a foot massager is much lesser when compared to the amount medications and other kinds of healing treatments. There are several types of foot massagers available in the market like spa foot massagers or foot massagers that only concentrate on soles or complete calves.
Understand the features and factors of the foot massager carefully before purchasing them. Some of them only target soles while some of them massage until the calves. You have to choose based on your requirement.
If you still have any doubts or queries, write to us in the comment section below. For more such articles, keep visiting our website.
