On my mission of researching foot massage benefits …… for me, I saw there was many benefits for everyone to massage their feet (or ideally get their parter or friend to massage their feet for them, bonus points).

But I decided to share the benefits as it could be useful to someone else

Benefits of Massaging Your Feet

Our feet are a very important part of us and how we function, taking care of them is essential. They help get us from A to B, they allow us to put fancy shoes on them and look fabulous while they might be in pain for a few hours. Taking 5 – 10 minutes out at the end of every day to massage our feet has some great benefits.

1. It will immediately help us get a good nights sleep. It can relax us beyond belief (especially if you can get someone else to do it). One highly recommended cream to use is Lavender.
2. It will improve the circulation in our feet. Think of your poor feet that are trapped in socks and shoes all day. Giving them a massage at night for 10-20 minutes will boost the circulation in your feet and feet the blood flowing, helping to heal any sores.
3. Better Mood. A 5 minute foot massage three times a week can improve your mood. A study done on health care staff (a high stress and energy using job) found that three five minute foot massages a week improved moods and lowered blood and anxiety levels.
4. Helps with Fallen Arches and Flat Foot. Speaking from experience (I have fallen arches and boy it’s a b*tch). A massage can really help with these. It will reduce the pain you feel in your feet and help with recovering time. Deep tissue and arch massages have been found to greatly help with both of these conditions and in some case’s even cure them. Another way to greatly help with these (I find) is to get a golf ball and roll them under your feet on the ground and even though it may hurt you will feel 100 times better after getting into a regular routine of doing this for a few minutes every second or third night.
5. Can help with ‘pregnant feet’. As if you don’t already ave enough going on when you are pregnant, but with all the extra stress put on your body your feet feel the brunt of it and can swell and store water and fluid retention in your lower legs and feet, making your feet and ankles swell. This can be combated through nightly foot massages and plenty of rest. This should be done by your significant other, because , well …. pregnancy.

What I Use

So every night or second night I need to do a foot massage, Guys I have the worst feet imaginable. Mix fallen arches, edima and sore knees…… It’s not a good mixture. I have to be very selective when it comes to walking shoes, special sole inserts and massaging my feet at the end of every night to help ease any pain and/ or tightness. *Pro tip – if your feet do get sore at the end of the day you should try massaging your feet with a golf ball, just by rolling your foot around on top one, this may take a little while of getting used to as it can be sore at first, but the benefits are definitely worth it.

I use Avalon Organics Lavender Body Lotion and The Body Shop Thai Lemongrass Massaging Oil to massage into my feet. Definitely feel better afterwards and smell good too.

I also like to paint my toe nails, just to get them to look a bit prettier and in the last year I have figured out that my favourite nail polish brand is Ella & Mila (Which I buy from Skinfull Affairs), I usually go for a white or off white colour or else completely in the other direction and go for a dark red or brown/ black colour.

Do you massage your feet? If so what cruelty free products do you use and do you have any massaging tips?

x

Saoirse.