Foot Massage

P

PatriciaP

Cathlete
Hi, everybody:

Doing all the stepping I do, I sometimes suffer from cramping and aching feet, particularly the toes area. It doesn't help that my feet are flat and wide, either!

On a day-to-day basis (i.e. when not exercising), I always wear practical, comfortable footwear -- usually re-cycled Ryka black running shoes or athletic sandals. No platforms, spike heels or other gruesome implements of torture for me, thank you very much!

Any suggestions for a foot massage that I can do, say in the bath?

Thanks!

Patricia
 
Hi Patricia: I am a Registered Massage Therapist and have a few suggestions. There are a lot of things you can do in the bath to help.
Owing to the fact that alot of your foot muscles attach on the tibia and fibula, at the very least you want to massage from the knee to the foot.
Start at the foot and work up the leg. You always want to massage in the direction of blood flow to the heart. Start with big light strokes up the leg gradually adding pressure. If you want, warm some oil in your hands and apply to the leg and foot. At the ball of the foot find boney pressure points just below the toes that feel good and with your thumbs make little circles gradually increasing pressure. Make your way across the ball of the foot with deep circles below one toe at a time. Massage the sides of the feet with alternating thumb circles up both sides. If you have flat feet you want to massage the outside of the leg (peroneal muscles) with long, deep strokes from the ankle to the lateral side of the knee. Try making a fist and come up with your knuckles stripping along the muscle length (take 4-6 seconds for each stroke). If you can, roll your foot inward as you massage up the leg, this stretches those muscles as you strip up. The front of the leg (anterior tibialis) likes stimulating work. Try a quick, light chopping motion with a nice loose wrist at the front of the leg but avoid the boney prominence (tibia). Use your fingers to 'rake' up the back of the leg then try massaging up with both hand alternately grasping the gastrocs (play with tempo of strokes and don't be afraid to sqeeze. Make slow deep circles with your fingertips and palms all along the sides of the knee joint.
Keep working in a foot to knee sequence as many times as you like and finish with some ankle circles then point your toes away from you and then toward you to get a little stretch.
If your feet are extremely achey you should try a contrast foot bath. Get two buckets one with warm water (36-38 degrees Celsius not farenheit sorry I don't know my conversion from metric to imperial, maybe someone can help with it but I will check and get back) and one with cold water (4 - 21 degrees Celsius). Have a kettle of ht water handy to heat up the warm water if it cools too much and wrap yourself up snug in a blanket so you don't catch a chill. Immerse your feet in warm water for 3-5 minutes and then to cold for 10-30 seconds or until you feel a mild 'ache'. Repeat 3 - 5 times. Finish with Cold. This is great for increasing circulation in the body and is a great flush for the feet. Relax for 1/2 hour after a contrast foot bath.
Hope this helps
Take Care
Laurie:)
 
Laurie...that sounds absolutely wonderful. Sometimes after long runs I can coax my DH into a foot massage. I am lucky today and getting a full body massage, I will look forward very much now to the foot part...:)...by the way Laurie, how is the injury coming along?...I hope you are rcovering well...:)...carole
 
Hey Carole: Lucky You!! You do love your massages don't you:)
Thanks for asking about my recovery. I'm doing quite nicely, hard to believe it's only been 4 weeks. Getting in and out of the car and my bed are still slow. My lats and internal obliques aren't healed yet so I have to be really careful doing abdominal work (no left side planks yet) and dead lifts and rows make me feel quite vulnerable (keeps me humblex( ) so I'm working smarter than ever. I haven't got sensation in my left low back and buttock yet. I started massaging last Thursday and will teach my 2 classes at the gym on Saturday:). I will make all necessary modifications and see it as an opportunity to educate my participants on listening to their bodies. I teach a yoga/pilates/tai chi fusion (BodyFlow)class and must be ultra careful with forward folding and left side stretching especially triangle, it will be a test of my instructing that's for sure, I'll use Cathe's cuing as my inspiration:7 (I wish!!!:p )
I'll do a step tape tomorrow, Step Blast I think, and then I'll take my own advise and give myself a leg and foot massage:)
Enjoy your Massages Ladies(and Gentlemen)!!:)
Take Care
Laurie
 
Temperature Conversions for Contrast foot bath are Cold Water between 40 and 70 degrees farenheit. Hot Water conversion is between 97 and 100 degrees farenheit. If you have varicose veins keep water level below affected veins. Don't do this late in the day as it is stimulating for many people. These foot baths are great after a day of shopping too:)
Take Care
Laurie
 
Yes..you guessed it. I love massages and what they do for me. I usually go every 3 weeks, but my massage therapist is going out of town for the next two weeks so I had to suffer and go in after 2 weeks instead of waiting 3 weeks :D. It sounds like things are going good for you in just 4 weeks. I am so glad for you. I know it has alot to do with your knowledge of the human body. We do seem to learn so much when these things happen to us. I hope things go well with the classes on Saturday. Be careful and keep up the great work!...:)...Carole
 
I always like to add some lavender essential oil to sea salt and soak- you can use this in the shower as well- just plug the drain- it makes your tosies feel very very good
 
Good morning, Laurie!

Sorry to be so late in getting back to you to say thank you! The only computer I have is the one at the office, and dang it, it got busy there!

Anyways, I REALLY, REALLY, appreciate your reply! It must have taken you forever to type it out! And lots of great information there -- I'll try doing it this weekend when I'm nice and relaxed.

Thank you so much, Laurie! Have a great day!

Patricia

P.S. And my feet thank you, too!
 
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