The Surprising Health Benefits of a Foot Massage

Our feet carry us everywhere. They bear the entire body weight, they are crucial for our functioning, yet they get the least attention. That must change immediately.

Foot spa can be super therapeutic after a long day standing or walking when the feet swell up. However, a regular foot massage along with reflexology helps in promoting physiological as well as physical health.

Doctor Benji understands and knows that better than anyone else. For that reason, he shares a few health benefits of foot massages.

“Foot reflexology and foot massage originated in the ancient Chinese culture, and according to the flows of Chinese medicine, that is called Qi and is made of opposing forces. One of them is yin, and the other one is yang. And we know that our feet are composed of a dense network of reflex points. To help restore power and function, you connect the yin and yang forces of the body, and that’s how we are able to improve our health.”

Reflexology is an ancient healing practice based on the principle that reflex points on the feet correspond to the body’s different organs and glands. A proper foot massage technique places the right amount of pressure on these points in the feet, therefore, promotes impressive health benefits to the entire body and mind that are really surprising.

The unexpected health benefits of a foot massage

While many of the benefits still lack scientific evidence to prove the impact on health, a few have been supported by actual scientific research. The fantastic thing is that people can experience these benefits after only a few weeks of regular foot massage two or three times per week.

Let’s see what the benefits are.

Improves blood circulation

As a result of the sedimentary lifestyle, many people do not use the foot muscles properly. Additionally, inadequate and extremely thigh shoes also hamper the blood circulation in the feet.

A 10-minute massage helps transport oxygen to the body’s cells and significantly improves circulation in the lower extremities, which is particularly important for people who have diabetes.

Improves relaxation

After a long day spent on the feet, they tend to sell up and even hurt. A nice massage of 5 to 10 minutes before going to bed can improve feelings of well-being and soothe the entire body.

Promotes better sleep

As the foot massage improves blood circulation and relaxes the body, it’s one of the best ways to ensure a nice and peaceful deep sleep.

Reduces the effects of anxiety and depression

Foot massage provides comfort that helps people balance the need to grieve and adapt to changes in life. Moreover, specific points on the feet help mitigate depression symptoms.

Relieves body aches and pains

Different points in the feet impact different body parts. Treating these points with reflexology helps in reducing pain in different body areas. For example, a five-minute massage to the toes and the joints that join the toe to the foot alleviates neck pain. Cool, right?

Alleviates edema

This benefit is especially important for pregnant women. Due to fluid retention, feet tend to swell up. A gentle massage from the tips of the toes all the way to the ankles encourages the fluid accumulated in the feet to return toward the kidneys, where it can be flushed out of the body.

Lowers the blood pressure

The foot massage helps the body relax, improves mood and mental health, which ultimately helps in lowering the blood pressure that most modern men and women suffer from.

Helps with plantar fasciitis and flat feet

People with flat feet do not have a normal foot arch due to ligament laxity. As a result, some people experience foot pain after even mild physical activity due to flat feet. Additionally, inflammation or deterioration of the plantar fascia can cause chronic heel pain. Regular foot exercise coupled with a massage with firm pressure on the arch can help significantly lessen the pain and even cure these conditions.

Improves the love life

A gently scented massage oil, a few candles, and smooth music in the background is the perfect setting to give your significant other the selfless gift of foot massage. It will relax them, help them forget about everything and enjoy every second spend together. Moreover, feet are known to have powerful erogenous zones that can turn the love life around.

Do you need more reasons to pause and refresh?