How to Massage Your Feet and Save Your Hands

After a long day on your feet you just need some relief. Keep your feet, happy and healthy with this simple technique that will stretch and massage your feet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tennis Ball

1. Grab a tennis ball, remove your shoes and socks. Sit on the edge of a chair or stand near a wall or railing you can hold on to.

2. Place the tennis ball on the floor, and place your foot on top. Gently press the ball into the arch of your foot, and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Press a little deeper and hold for another 30 seconds.

3. Stretching the Metatarsals:
   Side the tennis ball under the ball of your foot, spread your toes wide and think of draping and spreading your foot out over the tennis ball, like you're wrapping your foot around it. Gently press into the ball, and hold the stretch for 30 seconds, press a little deeper and hold for another 30.

4. The Heel:
   Slide the ball to the back of your foot, you want it just under your heel, closer to the arch. Again press and hold for 30 seconds and repeat.

5. The foot is now stretched and should be opened up a bit. Now you can massage the foot by rolling the ball back and forth under your foot.

6. Repeat this entire sequence on the other foot.

7. Now that both feet are stretched and massaged, you can finish up by using your hands to massage in some peppermint foot lotion.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you have support (a chair or wall) to help you maintain your balance, when pressing your foot into the ball.
• If your feet are very tight or are not accustomed to massage, they may cramp at first when doing the stretching. Take it slow and gentle. As your feet become more relaxed it will be easier to go deeper into the foot.

[mrmofo]

on 12/12/2008 I want Sarah to massage my feet!!

[JMKIT]

on 2/20/2008 I love this advice!

[BarryWaite]

on 1/1/2008 Great...I just got some tree tea oil but for my wife's feet. I also got heated slippers for her and she loves it. Thanks for tips for doing our own feet...can't wait to try!

[dawnzlight]

on 12/25/2007 excellent massage advice!

[CCrock]

on 12/19/2007 Thank you so much for this wonderful article! This will be great to do when I get home from a long day of shopping at the mall!