There are reflexes in the feet that relate to the rest of the body. Many people get pain relief from releasing the feet. If you can’t get a professional reflexology treatment, you can help yourself by working your own feet.
Sit comfortably and roll a massage ball under the foot, to allow the muscles and tendons to flex and stretch. You can also concentrate on certain areas of the foot for different parts of the body:
- Head and neck – the toes
- Chest – the ball of the foot
- Spine and back – along the inside or arch of the foot from heel to big toe
- Stomach and bowel – middle of foot, in the arch
The human foot was designed to walk on natural surfaces such as grass, sand and soil with undulations and natural cushioning. Our feet were not meant to stand all day and walk on hard surfaces such as concrete, tiles and bitumen.
Wearing shoes all the time, also stops the foot from flexing, stretching and adapting to the environment so muscles become stiff and underutilised. Rolling a massage or tennis ball under the arch of the foot helps release and flex those muscles and improve circulation. Wriggle those toes, stretch and flex the feet, rotate the ankles in both directions.
Look after and maintain your feet. See a Reflexologist or Bowen Therapist for professional help if you have issues.
Regularly have a pedicure or do your own to exfoliate the layers of dead skin, trim nails and attend to calluses and corns. Some deformities in the feet come from neglect and can change the way you walk, causing further problems with ankles, knees, hips and back.
Looking after your feet helps keep you pain free!