Foot massage – here are some unknown facts!
Foot massage is possibly the most underrated of massages that we can indulge our bodies, which is a surprise when you see the list of some (hitherto) unknown facts…
Your feet are probably the hardest working part of your body; not a day goes by that you will not be on your feet. They carry all of your body at various paces, from a slow shuffle to the sprint to the bus stop. For those involved in sports, you will run at various paces too, for prolonged periods of time. However, apart from the off ache or too, your feet probably rarely complain.
Foot massage, like other form of massage, have been performed for centuries in the knowledge that the sense of touch on the body has prolonged, beneficial and much needed effects. This promotion of relaxation is even more important in today’s hectic world, where life seems at the fastest pace that it ever has been.
So, stop a while and take the weight off your feet, sit back and relax as you mull over some unknown facts about foot massage…
Fact 1: it boosts energy
Unless you have experienced a food massage, you are unlikely to know the boost of energy that can be experienced when the foot is rubbed and manipulated. Foot massages are known to release blockages in the body, allowing for hormones, blood and the like to flow far freer around the body.
Fact 2: It’s great for sex
Foot massages have, for some couples, been an accepted part of foreplay and no surprise when you consider the trigger it can have for mile sexual arousal. Couple this with soft lighting, soothing music, candles and warmth, and you and your partner can enjoy this rather welcome benefit of a foot massage.
Fact 3: It helps blood circulation
Do you suffer from cold feet? Is it always the part of your body that no matter what the temperature, your feet never really seem to get warm? Tight socks, stocking and tights can hinder circulation and so a foot massage makes perfect sense to encourage blood flow back into the further most of extremities.
Fact 4: It reduces swelling
A natural part of any given day is that our feet and ankles swell, some more than others. Pregnancy of course, is also a time when the feet can suffer from oedema. Puffy feet and ankles can be uncomfortable too, and many people find they suffer more from this in the hot, summer months. Massaging the feet regularly, along with a healthy diet, can reduce this puffiness.
Fact 5: It reduces stress, tension and depression
Depression, stress and tension can creep up on us at any time; many people who suffer from depression liken it to being like the light being switched off, all of a sudden and with no warning. Although a foot massage, as a one-off is not a known ‘cure’ for depression, the power of touch and the stimulation of circulation etc. can all contribute to a feeling of increased well-being.
Fact 6: It can help with a foot injury
Always seek advice as massage can irritate some injuries but, in the main, just like you would do with a tender muscle in the shoulder, a foot massage can help with soreness, aches and pains in the feet.
Fact 7: It can help relieve the scourge that is pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
Women suffer from various ‘levels’ of PMS at certain times, which can cause mood swings, irritability, headaches, anxiety, depression and insomnia. A regular foot massage is one way of relieving some of these symptoms.
Fact 8: It can help migraines and headaches
Again, something that many people commonly suffer from but a foot massage is a great way of relaxing the mind; as tensions are soothed away, so too can headaches and migraines. Again, not a cure-all but one approach of many to help the body uncoil.
Fact 9: It can lower blood pressure
A natural and normal part of life is that blood pressure can spike during the day but, in most cases, soon decrease back to a ‘normal’ level. However, for some people, this hypertensive state can remain but a foot massage is a great way of easing some of this tension. Let the stress and tension simply slip away…
Fact 10: Can ease the condition of flat feet
Fallen arches can be incredibly sore and achy; although a foot massage cannot reverse this condition, it can help to relieve some of the pain.