Caring for Our Feet

We often hold pain in our bodies so long that we forget about it. When that happens, we start only treating the pain that screams the loudest. One area I see repeatedly neglected because of this, is the feet.

I am a huge advocate for taking care of your feet. They are the foundation of your body. Think about how your life would change if you couldn’t use one or both of your feet. We take for granted all the obvious activities they allow us to do. They are also reasonable for less obvious activities that keep us going.

When your feet are holding on to stress, that stress will travel up your body. The muscles of your legs will overcompensate for the feet. Your legs will start hurting and the stress will travel up to your knees, then up to your hips. Once your hips are out of balance from the muscle strain, the low back will start hurting too.

I always push for full body massages for my clients. Because the source of the pain is not always where you can feel the most pain. It is incredibly important to take time to nurture every part of your body.

self-care

Shoes

Your shoes should be supportive, even if they are stylish. You don’t have to throw all your shoes away, just get inserts to add some support. Avoid wearing shoes that put your feet in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time. This is the easiest change. It is basically, just don’t hurt yourself for cute shoes.

Soak

Soak your feet a couple time a month. You can enhance the warm water with herbs like lavender or I, personally use Epsom salt. This is such a passive act of self-care, you just sit there and let the warm water do the work.

Rub

Massage your feet. Get your spouse to massage your feet or do it yourself. Never use so much pressure that it is painful, that could cause more problems. There are also gadgets you can buy to help you massage your feet at home. I just like using my hands and a good old fashion golf ball to relieve the tension.

Professional Services

Massage

60- 90 min. massages include a foot massage. Express to the therapist that you want a little extra time on your feet, and they will accommodate. They are trained, know all the muscles and can pinpoint problem areas.

Reflexology

Reflexology is a massage modality. A reflexologist will be able help care for ever part of the body connected to the feet through pressure points.

Pedicures

Pedicures will include a foot massage. Kill two birds with one stone if you aren’t experiencing pain. Get cute nails and a simple foot massage.

Shoes

There are a lot of different shoes stores that specialize in finding a shoe perfect for your feet. Some specialize in running shoes, some orthopedics, some just want to help you be comfortable at work.

Our feet are our foundation, they help keep our whole body balanced. No longer will we only treat the pain that screams the loudest. We are going to take care of our bodies from head to toe because our bodies deserve it.