Foot massage: basic rules and techniques

Everyone knows about the healing power of massage. This is one of the oldest techniques for restoring the body and treating many diseases of both the body and soul. A special place in the list of massage zones is occupied by legs. Every day, a huge load is placed on the feet and lower legs. We are so used to the fact that we can walk and stand for a long time, that we simply stopped thinking about what the consequences of excessive tension of the limbs could be without an effective and timely recovery. However, if you learn the basics of proper foot massage, you can significantly improve your health, gain a large amount of energy and vitality.

Not everyone knows that a huge number of reflex zones are concentrated on the feet, which are associated with almost every organ in our body. Moreover, these receptors are responsible not only for the physical state of organs, but also for the energy component of the body as a whole. The most common massage of the soles received in eastern medicine.

This treatment technique is extremely effective for several reasons:

• The body does not get harm from the use of medicines. After all, it is no secret to anyone that pills for the treatment of one ailment inevitably entail certain consequences regarding other body systems.
• Massage has a systematic approach to treatment. Through certain points in one place on the body, completely different organs can be cured. This is due to the fact that everything in the human body is interconnected. Therefore, internal organs can be effectively restored through the skin.

According to experts, 36 important points and over 70,000 nerve endings through which you can act on specific organs are located on the feet of a person. For example, toes are “responsible” for everything related to the state of health of the head. Heels - beyond the pelvis and knees. The upper area of ​​the sole has points associated with the organs of vision and hearing, as well as the brain. The main part of the foot, the widest, directly affects the work of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as the liver.

One can safely say that the procedure of foot massage is shown to every person, especially if your daily activity involves a lot of stress on your legs: you have to stand or walk a lot. It is important to carry out such a procedure regularly, then the benefits will be noticeable. You just stop getting sick and will achieve great success in life.

Working with active points on the feet, you can achieve the following results:

• relieve psychological stress;
• get rid of physical discomfort;
• say goodbye to many chronic ailments;
• prevent the emergence of new health problems;
• restore harmony of body and soul;
• improve the quality of sleep and rest;
• restore the body after stress or prolonged hard work;
• improve the functioning of the immune system;
• to establish the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• restore the balance of hormones.

And this is far from a complete list of those miraculous results that can be achieved by physical interaction on the soles of the feet. Massaging the legs provides a rush of blood, which means it improves the quality of the skin, provides them with full breathing and provides strength for recovery. Fatigue is relieved instantly, even after one session. Regular procedures help get rid of problems with the skeletal and lymphatic systems, help prolong life and preserve youth as long as possible.

Real masters of healing foot massage will assure you that there are no absolute contraindications to such a procedure, since with proper treatment you can completely restore the body and cope with any ailment. However, it is important to understand that not always the qualification of a specialist can certainly avoid the consequences of improper massage.

Therefore, be careful with warming up your legs if you have:

• progressive oncological diseases;
• hemophilia and abnormalities in the circulatory system;
• open tuberculosis;
• urinary and gallstone problems;
• sexually transmitted diseases;
• mental problems in the acute phase;
• vascular thrombosis;
• fever;
• circulatory problems.

It is also important to be careful or better to abstain completely from foot massage if a person:

• is intoxicated;
• suffers from excessive pressure;
• prone to the manifestation of acute manifestations of allergies of various kinds;
• experiencing nausea, vomiting, as well as pain in the gastrointestinal tract;
• has purulent infections of the epidermis, psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema.

Since foot massage has a rather strong effect on the state of the body as a whole, it is important to carefully monitor the condition of the person during the session. When observing the deterioration of the condition, any manipulation should be stopped immediately.

Massage can be performed at home on your own. But for this it is necessary to carefully study all the subtleties and features of this procedure. Only in this way will manipulation benefit, not harm the body.If you are still not sure that you are fluent in the technique of proper healing or relaxing foot massage, then it is best to contact the professionals in a specialized salon.

The procedure involves the impact not only on the soles, but also on the lower legs, thighs, hip and knee joints. Each type of massage requires some preparation and technique.

However, there are universal requirements that you must know:

• The room in which the session will take place should be comfortable. The optimum air temperature should be at least 22 degrees. Light should not be bright. Extraneous loud sounds must be excluded. Ideally, it will be a calm, quiet room with subdued light, which will allow a person to completely relax and distract from everyday worries.
• Feet before the session must be checked for compliance with all standard hygiene rules. They must be absolutely clean and dry. If the legs are cold, it is necessary to preheat them with hand movements, intensive stroking. You can not perform complex manipulations on cold feet.

• Professionals work with the patient, provided that he is in a supine position. If you yourself stretch your feet, then you can take any position as convenient as possible, which will not impede blood flow.
• It is important to definitely use a special oil or cream for massage. This will improve gliding and eliminate the appearance of unpleasant and painful sensations from touching and rubbing dry skin. It is imperative that the composition of the funds is natural. Therefore, natural oils are most often used for massage: coconut, sesame, etc. During massage, you rub the product into the skin, it penetrates deep into the cells. Therefore, it is so important that the oils are of high quality and natural.
• It is required to provide the patient with comfort and relaxation not only before, but also after the procedure. In no case do not lift the person immediately after the session - give him a little rest.

Features of the massage technique vary depending on the type of procedure. Today, there are a huge number of different types of procedures for the feet. They can be performed both in accordance with ancient traditions, and using modern technologies. The choice of a specific option depends on your state of health and the result that you want to achieve. We list the most common types of foot massage:

This massage option allows you to achieve a general strengthening effect on the body, accelerate the process of tissue repair, increase tone, get rid of excessive swelling, strengthen the joints of the legs.

Classical foot massage, like any other, involves the use of the following basic techniques: stroking, rubbing, vibration and kneading. All movements should be carried out in the direction from the periphery to the lymph node. First you need to massage the feet, then all the main muscles of the legs, as well as the joints. Warm up the skin of the legs to properly prepare it for further intensive manipulations. Then rub the skin over the entire surface of the legs in the indicated direction. Just be careful not to allow too much pain. Then proceed to kneading the tissues, and the final stage of the session will be vibration.

All this will help improve blood circulation and affect the overall well-being of a person. In order to achieve a sustainable result, it is necessary to perform such procedures systematically, about 2 or 3 times a week for a month. Then you can take a short break, follow the reaction of the body and start the procedures again. The optimal duration of one session is about 30-60 minutes.

This type of massage belongs to the category of more serious procedures and has not only a relaxing, but also a rehabilitation effect. With the help of such manipulations, you will help the body recover even after serious illness. It is important that only high-class professionals deal with the treated procedures. Do not trust your health to inexperienced professionals.

Depending on what illness the patient suffers, certain areas of the foot are selected, which will have the main impact. You can also work with the whole leg once to achieve the maximum healing effect. With the help of certain manipulations, it will be possible to speed up the process of tissue repair after injuries, get rid of hematomas, and improve the condition of the body after surgery. Many professional athletes regularly resort to this type of massage procedure.

A feature of the procedure is the alternation of exposure to cold and heat. Warming up of the tissues is achieved through special wraps with healing mud, paraffin or warming creams. This helps reduce pain, get rid of cramps, and reduce muscle irritability. As cold exposure, cold stones, ice or even snow are used. Cold allows you to get rid of edema, has anti-inflammatory and anesthetic effects.

The intensity of such massage therapy depends on the complexity of the disease. In more severe cases, several sessions per day are required, while a couple of sessions per week are sufficient to prevent disease or to maintain the achieved result.

Massage technique from a hot exotic country has gained wide distribution and recognition around the world. The Thais were confident that the main component of human health is the harmony of the physical body and spirit. That is why Thai massage involves not just a series of mechanical interactions at certain points, but a whole practice. The main impact is on the energy channels in order to release energy and allow it to circulate correctly throughout the body. Only in this way will man be in complete harmony with his body and soul. The mind will be calm, and the body will be healthy.

Before proceeding to the main part of Thai massage, it is necessary to relax a person well. The specialist begins with measured light strokes of the hips and ankles. Next comes the turn of twisting and stretching the muscles (both superficial and deep). On average, a session of such therapy lasts about an hour, but there is no fixed interval. To achieve a sustainable therapeutic effect, it is recommended to do sessions daily. For preventive purposes, several times in 2 weeks is enough.

If for some reason you cannot contact a specialist or a loved one, then you can master the technique of self-massage. It is no less effective and pleasant. To achieve the greatest effect from the procedure, experts recommend taking a bath with salt and essential oils before starting self-massage, then rub your feet with a soft towel. So you prepare the skin and muscles for further manipulations.

Now prepare any natural oil and heat it in your hands. Accept any comfortable position, ensure yourself peace, get rid of extraneous sounds that could interfere with you. Now knead the legs in succession from the fingers to the ankles, calves, knees and thigh.Do not allow pain. Listen to your feelings and focus on them. At the end of the procedure, stroke your legs for a couple of minutes. Then do not get up, rest for another 10 minutes.

This type of procedure appeared in Japan and became widespread throughout the world. The essence of the procedure is sequential pressure on certain points. Before you start shiatsu massage, you need to carefully study the map of nerve endings on the foot, as well as the state of your health. Only then can you plan an individual massage.

Rather, this is not another type of massage, but a phenomenon from Chinese culture. It is to treat the like with the like. It can relate to any type of massage and different areas, whether it be the feet, shoulders or buttocks.

Cupping or vacuum massage is used not for therapeutic, but for cosmetic purposes. Using it, you can make the skin beautiful, toned and supple. This is an indispensable comprehensive measure in the process of losing weight. This procedure is performed in many salons of aesthetic medicine, but you can cope with such manipulations at home. This is one of the most effective techniques in the fight against cellulite. During the procedure, excess fluid is removed, lymph congestion is eliminated, blood circulation improves, and accumulations of fatty deposits under the skin are split.

Banks for this procedure can be purchased at any pharmacy. It is best to use latex or silicone cans, as they do not absorb funds, are not deformed. You only need 1 jar of the right size. To start, take a hot bath, wipe your feet with a scrub or hard washcloth. Next, you need to apply a special massage oil with anti-cellulite effect to the entire surface of the legs. It can be purchased at the store or prepared independently.

Now it was the turn of the cans. Attach the jar to the skin and rotate it in a circle, moving from bottom to top. Redness and pain are normal, then they will quickly pass. However, the pain should not be unbearable. Handle the jar with extreme caution so as not to leave bruises on your feet. Upon completion of the procedure, to achieve maximum effect, it is not necessary to rinse the oil. It is better to wrap your legs with foil, put on warm clothes and begin physical activity.

Any of these types of massage can be done at home. Therefore, we will analyze another example of a procedure that is useful to people suffering from varicose veins. You need to be extremely careful, since such a disease does not allow the implementation of aggressive techniques, for example, vacuum can massage, honey for weight loss.

But compression or lymphatic drainage massage will be an excellent option for people with varicose veins.

At home, this procedure can be done with your hands using a special cream. By pressing movements, the calf muscles are carefully worked out for about 15 minutes. After such manipulations, it is necessary to stand on the socks and rise on them 15-20 times. This will greatly improve the result of the massage.

Important: this procedure can be applied only at the first stages of the disease. If in your case the varicose veins acquired serious development, it is necessary to consult a doctor before proceeding with any independent actions at home.

• At the end of any massage session, it is best to wipe your feet with a soft towel dipped in hot water, then wipe them dry and apply cream.
• All movements that make up the massage should be smooth, causing relaxation.
• If you go to a session with a specialist, but subconsciously do not trust him, it is better to refuse such an event. After all, foot massage is not only work with the physical body, but also interaction with subtle energies.

Why foot massage should be done - the information is contained in the first video.

How to do leg massage yourself, you can learn from the video.