
6. Foot Massage
One of the major benefits of foot massage is that it’s one of the easiest at home massages to perform on yourself. You should use firm pressure as you work on the feet, especially the bottom of them where skin is a little tougher. Start by working on the area around the ball of the foot, applying firm pressure. If your fingertips aren’t strong enough, you can use the knuckles on your hand instead. Then, apply pressure to the bottom of the big toe and walk your fingers down the big toe, and across the top of your foot just below all your toes as you apply firm pressure. Next, use an up-and-down movement to focus on the arch of the foot before moving to the heel. After focusing on the heel, give a little attention to the top of your foot to promote blood flow to the area.
Foot massage is incredibly relaxing, especially for people who spend a lot of time on their feet. It also relieves tension in the area and promotes better circulation, which can be helpful for people who have diabetes or heart disease because of its effect on circulation. Another major benefit of giving your feet a little extra attention is that it gives you a chance to look at bunions and your feet, as well as how your toenails look. Monitoring your toenails actually tells you a lot about your overall health. For example, bluish toenails could be caused by Raynaud’s disease or poor circulation from diabetes, while yellow toenails might result from using nail polish too frequently or growing fungus fungus. Banding across your toenails can also let you know if you have a vitamin deficiency.