Foot Massage Reflexology Benefits Your Entire Body!
A one-minute foot massage is a phenomenal, simple, self care daily practice that can add significant benefits.
Research supports that foot massage provides us benefits like:
- Anxiety reduction
- Depression decreases
- Sleep Disturbance is less frequent
- Constipation decreases
- Back Pain reduces
- Blood Pressure lowers
- High Heart Rate lowers
- Headache/Migraine Pain subsides/mitigates
Studies Point Out:
“Foot reflexology may provide additional nonpharmacotherapy intervention for adults suffering from depression, anxiety, or sleep disturbance.” (1)
“Conclusion: The findings suggested that foot reflexology produced significant improvements in sleep disturbances.” (2) (bold added)
“Foot reflexology is an effective complementary therapy for treating functional constipation.” (3) (italic added)
“The results of this study showed that foot reflexology, as an effective intervention can be useful in management of constipation in patients with MS.” (4)
“Reflexology can be effective in reducing the severity of chronic back pain, i.e. it is able to reduce pain from moderate to mild.” (5)(6)(bold added)
“Foot reflexology was effective in reducing HR (heart rate)… if performed regularly at home by the patient, it may result in long‐term improvements in BP (blood pressure), HR, and cardiovascular outcomes.” (7)
“For some people with migraine, stimulating pressure points on the body may provide relief.” (8)
What is Foot Massage Reflexology?
Foot reflexology is the practice of applying pressure to certain points on the feet that correspond to organs and systems in the body.
By stimulating the organ points, researchers share that overall health and wellbeing can be improved.
It does not take more than a minute each day to feel more relaxed, balanced and reap the exponential benefits over time.
Here is a Reflexology PDF I made for you.
Now- How to Massage Your Feet In A Way That Offers the Benefit of Reflexology
Use a ball.
With a ball you do not need to contort your body to reach your feet. It is convenient and offers balanced pressure.
It’s easy to have more than one ball stationed in different spots around the house.
Having balls at the ready in convenient spots may prompt you to massage your feet more often.
TIP from a Previous Client:
I had one client that hid her balls in beautiful containers.
One on the:
- kitchen table
- her desk
- the bathroom sink and
- one next to her bed
No one knows she has balls every where because they are in beautiful vessels yet they are always accessible and at the ready when she has a minute.
She shared that if she had to get up and go get her massage ball from another room it would be enough resistance that she just wouldn’t do it.
Even though she knows the huge benefit it has given her she knows herself and chooses to remove the hurdles so she succeeds when it comes to her self care.
What Kind of Ball Should be Used for Massaging Feet?
You can use a tennis ball, a golf ball, small rubber balls.
Keep in mind the smaller the ball the deeper the massage.
The softer the ball the softer the massage.
When teaching at the hospital I always had a bag of balls on hand for clients to try that were different sizes and levels of hardness.
If you have a few balls that are different sizes and hardness give a few a try. See how they feel under your feet.
Choose the size and hardness that is best for you.
My Favorite Massage Ball of All Time: Rubz.
Why the Rubz massage ball?
The ball nubs are NOT spiky. The nubs are just right for a nice massage while still breaking up fascia. The nubs do not go too deep.
Why does going too deep with spikier balls matter?
Too spiky of a ball can cause damage, bruising and discomfort to tissue. The exact opposite to our goal.
This Ball is Especially Great to Use During Pregnancy
The Rubz ball is so good I had all my pregnant moms using the ball throughout pregnancy.
Plus I always had it on hand while helping a mom labor. It is a super massage ball on all the body’s muscles.
A Quick Visual Showing What to Do With the Ball
Yes Foot Massage is That SIMPLE!
Once a Day:
- Place your ball on the floor.
- Pick up one foot and set it on top of the ball.
- Start by rolling the ball under your foot from your heel to your toes.
- Notice tender areas. If you find one stay there for a moment.
-
Go slow and stay on the region (without digging in) Simply roll gently to allow the tender points to ease.
-
Move from rolling back and forth to rolling the ball side to side across the bottom of your foot.
- Repeat on the other foot.
The GOAL
The goal is to apply pressure as evenly as possible throughout the 30 seconds.
Here is where a larger ball like a tennis ball is protective. Its larger surface area doesn’t let you get too deep.
When you are done, you will have reduced the tension throughout your body plus the bottom of your feet should feel:
- warmer
- more supple and
- mobile
Pretty Much Anytime, Anywhere.
- Incorporated into everyday exercise routine (I Incorporate ball massage in the 15 and 20 min Chair Routines)
- Under your desk
- Watching a show
- As a passenger in the car
- While on the toilet
- Airplane
Todays’ SIMPLE Self Care Tip
Foot Massage, another SIMPLE Self Care focused actions that can reduce stress, promote relaxation and improve overall well-being- all in under 1 minute per day.
Here’s the reflexology pdf again for you:
Linked References/Resources for you
5. Ilbeigi S, Mahjur M, Yaghobi H, Seghatoleslamy A. Evaluating the effects of foot reflexology on pain and disability in men with nonspecific chronic low back pain. J Anaesthesiol Pain. 2015;5:55–63
Resource: Reflexology: Concept, evidence, current practice, and practitioner training