Foot Self-Massage: How to Do It and What It’s Good For

Self-massage, or self-treatments, should always be considered a gesture of care and love toward oneself; foot massage in particular can have truly unexpected positive effects!

Did you know that the feet are home to 7,000 nerve endings, which in Chinese medicine are referred to as “energy meridians”?

The sole of the foot is connected to all the other organs of the body.

These are in fact the foundations of plantar reflexology or holistic podiatric reflexology.

Is it clearer now why a good foot massage can really “bring you back to life”?

Foot self-massage: benefits

By massaging the feet, it is possible to treat or improve problems such as:

• anxiety;
• stress;
• water retention;
• headaches;
• back pain;
• symptoms of menopause;
• bladder disorders;
• insomnia or difficulty falling asleep;
• poor digestion;
• intestinal problems;
• poor blood circulation.

How do you perform a foot self-massage?

In fact, even simply walking barefoot is an excellent exercise for massaging the foot.

This natural foot massage, achieved by walking on surfaces with different textures (such as fresh grass, sand…), is in fact able to stimulate muscles and improve circulation and sensitivity.

However, it is not always possible to walk barefoot outdoors, especially during seasons when the climate is particularly harsh, and a targeted massage may prove far more effective.

A foot massage is a treatment that can be done at any time, but—if performed in the evening before going to bed—it can help restore well-being and sleep better.

How to perform a foot self-massage obviously depends on the result we want to achieve.

For example, to work on the spine, foot self-massage should start from the medial part of the foot, from the big toe toward the heel.

There is not just one type of foot massage; there are many, but the best known are:

• plantar reflexology, which aims to manipulate energy meridians.
• Therapeutic massage, performed by professionals.
• Relaxing massage, which is the most suitable for self-massage, to relieve fatigue and a feeling of swelling.

Treating water retention with plantar reflexology: draining massages and foot self-massage to stimulate circulation

First of all, before starting a foot self-massage, it is advisable—though not mandatory—to take a relaxing foot bath.

It is no coincidence that every lymphatic drainage massage begins with the feet; stimulation of the microcirculation is in fact a fundamental element.

Here are some useful tips for performing a foot self-massage:

• massage the area around the ankles with the fingertips of both hands, making slow and gentle movements.
• Then alternate with light strokes (as if drawing a “U”) under the ankles.
• Massage the back of the ankle, along the Achilles tendon.
• Wrap the ankle with both hands and move upward, gently squeezing the calf (you can continue up to the thigh if you wish).
• Always perform movements from bottom to top.
• Bend the feet rhythmically forward and backward, flexing and extending the ankles.
• Rotate the ankles, as if drawing small circles with the tips of the toes.
• Don’t forget the toes! Move them in all directions to activate circulation.

If water retention and swelling persist, however, you can opt for more intensive therapies, using specific supplements and cosmetic products.

Let’s take a look at which ones…

When foot self-massage is not enough: supplements and cosmetics to combat swelling and water retention

Water retention, also known as edema, is a condition in which the body retains an excessive amount of fluids.

This accumulation of fluid in body tissues therefore causes feelings of discomfort, such as swelling and a sensation of heaviness.

Water retention can affect various parts of the body, such as legs and ankles, as well as upper limbs and the abdomen.

When a lymphatic drainage massage is not enough and even the good habit of periodically performing self-treatments and self-massages is insufficient, it becomes necessary to seek support and relief through cosmetics and the use of specific dietary supplements.

The best practices by The Unique Form to defeat water retention include:

• the application of wraps with draining gel wraps or ultraslim saline gel wraps.
• The application of draining body creams.
• Applying mud treatments, using pure draining mud or extra-draining gel mud.
• The application of cold-effect draining gels.

Finally, to optimize and speed up results, it is also possible to use specific draining and detox supplements, such as Drena Slim Day (available in 2 flavors: peach tea or blueberry) or Aloe Day Più (available in 2 flavors: green apple, mango and papaya or peach tea).

Discover all The Unique Form products to combat water retention and the supplements, and follow our blog for more useful tips for your beauty routine!