Best Foot Massage Techniques: Current Types & Benefits
Because our feet bear our entire body weight, it is one of the most abused parts of the body. This is why, in order to achieve overall wellness, you ought to take good care of your feet. Let it rest, pamper it every once in a while, and make sure its muscles are always in great shape. To achieve this, you can enjoy a wide array of foot massage techniques that can provide relief and relaxation to your sore feet.
Why Having Relaxed Feet is Significant to Your Wellness
While a foot massage isn't necessarily a treatment for any illness, it is considered as a supplementary healing method for many. With its many benefits, I can confidently say that a good foot rub is beneficial to your health. How? Here are some good benefits it can bring to your body:
- Relaxation. When you’re relaxed you can better manage stress and improve sleep, allowing your body to heal and recover faster.
- Improved circulation.
- Bliss can also be achieved with a foot massage.
Different Types of Foot Massage Techniques
The only struggle when it comes to enjoying all the benefits of foot massage is in choosing the right technique. There are a few different types of foot massages that you can go for, which can make it a bit overwhelming to try. To help you get started, here are your best options:
1. Thai
This method primarily uses thumbs, knuckles, fingers, and a rounded wooden stick to apply pressure on specific areas on the soles of your feet. It has specific points to target to open “Sen” or energy, using the ends of the 10 major energy lines running throughout the body as crucial pressure points.
An ancient therapeutic procedure in Thailand, this massage's aim is to unblock the many sen lines in the body to achieve balance, relaxation, and overall wellness. It can be a bit tricky to learn for beginners, but there are lots of places that offer training for this kind of foot massage if you really want to go for it.
2. Reflexology
A lot like Thai massage, reflexology also targets specific points in the soles of your feet, aiming to improve the corresponding body parts connected to them. This makes reflexology foot massage an easy way to address body pains and issues.
If you want to learn reflexology, knowing the different points and their corresponding body parts can be the trickiest part of the process.
3. Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a lot like reflexology, as it also makes use of pressure points to target the improvement of other body parts. However, instead of just pressing, it also pulls, rotates, and swivels your foot and toes in various directions to address all areas.
4. Swedish
The most popularly known and practiced, Swedish foot massage is a gentle massage that is ideal for those who are recovering from injuries and need to stretch their muscles from time to time. It is easy to learn, making it a great skill to have.
5. Deep Tissue
Slower and more intense, deep tissue foot massages involve more forceful strokes to reach the deeper muscle layers and tissues. It's perfect for people who have muscle damage and joint problems. Learning this may require basic knowledge of massaging, though, so it might not be ideal for beginners.
Getting a foot massage is always a great way to relax and get muscle pain relief, but seeing a masseuse isn't always the easiest thing to do. Luckily, alternatives like owning a home foot massager, ionic foot detox machine, and a heated foot spa can quickly get the job done without having to get out of the house.With these electronic appliances, you can now quickly pamper and care for your feet on your own, even without having any massage skills to boot.
Already a fan of foot massages? Which one is your most preferred method? Can you recommend other ways in relaxing your feet? Do share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.
