The foot is one of the most sensitive and with more nerve endings of the body. In fact, it is one of the areas where it is easiest to find tickling in almost anyone. But why are feet so sensitive? How is it possible that something that supports so much weight and impacts throughout the day can be so perceptive?
Feet: designed to feel
Nature is wise and patient and if it makes any change or improvement in any animal (including us humans) it is because this change has evolutionarily demonstrated its efficiency or advantage in some individuals. Exactly that happens with the feet, which have evolved to act as a support structure and locomotion while at the same time being our “eyes” while we walk.
Complex and sensitive
The human feet are one of the most complex structures that exist in nature: in a single foot there are 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles with their respective pairs of tendons and ligaments. And besides all that, the sole of the foot is the part of the body that has more nerve endings per square centimeter, surpassing the hands in number and concentratio. Leonardo Da Vinci even said that “the foot is a piece of engineering designed by nature, an authentic artwork”.
Foot Massage: How It’s Done
From the previous paragraph it has surely become quite clear to you that the feet are more important than you maybe thought. Therefore an effective foot massage should be performed paying attention to each of the parts that make up the foot. Below we describe some of the steps to perform an effective foot massage.
Relax before massaging
Submerging the feet of who is going to receive the massage in hot water and salt for a few minutes helps to vasodilate and increase blood flow to the extremities and therefore relax the area. Wrapping the feet in a warm wet towel can also be helpful. Avoid the use of oils for massage, at least for the early stages of the massage, where what we seek is being able to pressure effectively.
Massage foot supports
Massage the arch first and perform flexions and rotations on each foot to activate and relax the ankles. Then focus on the Achilles tendon (the strongest in the human body), heel, outer foot, arch, and metatarsals (the part where the toes meet the sole) that should be massaged deeply. These are the strongest parts of the foot and so are the ones that concentrate the efforts when we walk. Massage these parts with movements contrary to the efforts they support.
Massage the toes
Massage each toe individually, making small pulls and twists of each of the toes to activate each and every one of the microtendons that support each toe.
Massage the sole of the foot
This is when, if you wish, you can use massage oils. This way you can slide your fingers across the sole of her/his foot while pressing on it without worrying about excessive friction. Combine vertical and circular movements.
Do you dare to give a foot massage to your partner with these tips?
