by SharonHartnett | Apr 9, 2017 | Massage
As a Massage Therapist, I see plenty of feet.
As people age, the feet seem to get more and more neglected for many people. Except the women who treat themselves to pedicures often:) Yet think about how important our feet are. They move us about everywhere we go. If we have happy feet, it’s a lot easier to be happy people!
Feet
Foot care helps us to keep them healthy, and prevent pain and other foot issues.
Foot Care:
Beginning with hygiene, start by keeping your feet clean and dry. Towel them off well after a shower or bath, to prevent fungal infections. Also, by using a textured cloth, you can help promote good circulation and more efficient skin cell replacement.
Every now and then, after you finish with your cleansing routine, check your toe nails and skin, especially if you have diabetes. The feet can signal problems that can be seen by easy observation.
Soaks with a good scrub can be very comforting and refreshing to the feet. This can help to exfoliate.
Trim nails carefully. Ingrown toenails can be very uncomfortable and lead to infection.
Choose well sized footwear. I have seen women come into my office whose feet are shaped like high heel shoes and in very odd shapes. Honestly. This is horrible for the feet as well as the posture.
Don’t share shoes or go barefoot in public places, especially shower. Dirty.
Stretch each foot with rollers, on steps, or 1/2 cylinders to help in the arches. When we walk, we are meant to have flexible feet.
Wiggle your toes and exercise your feet. I have noticed many seniors who have lost most of their awareness of their ankles and feet and can hardly move them.
Foot massage feels great. It can improve how you feel dramatically.
Don’t wait to long to see a physician if you have foot pain. It’s always better to be as proactive as possible when it comes to health.
Good Travels,
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST-D, SI, BHSP
740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | Jun 10, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration
Have you taken the time lately to examine your feet?
Did you know that the feet are good indicators of what is going on with your overall health?
For your wellbeing, you might want to consider setting aside a little space in your schedule for some TLC to this part of your body.
As a Massage Therapist for 17 years, I have seen lots of feet. The care that people put there ranges anywhere from between a “0” up to a “10”.
Most common for the best feet- women who like to have pedicures and get their feet massaged monthly often sport around healthy feet. Believe it or not, this extra attention really shows. When your pedicurist or massage therapist work with your feet, the professional ones will let you know if they notice any unusual sores, stiffness, and personally-you will feel if there is pain by touch or certain movements. Also athletes who listen to their feet and find their center and balance also have better posture in how they stand and move through life.
I see more unhealthy feet with the elderly. Sometimes Seniors can’t reach down and touch their feet so they get neglected. In these cases, I have seen open sores, felt the lack of circulation, noticed yellowing and dryness, and ingrown nails. But there are also younger people who have issues. I have seen young women who wear high heel shoes every day and their feet lose their natural shape and then start to resemble shoes. They are no longer able to stand correctly fully on their feet which pulls the whole body out of alignment. Another issues that frequently comes up is the pain associated with Plantar fasciitis. When people don’t wear the proper shoes to support their feet, this very painful condition in which a thick band that connects the heel to the toes becomes inflamed.
So what can you do to take care of your feet?
Taking Care of Your Feet
As you can see from this reflexology chart, the feet, as is the whole body, is interconnected. People who have studied the feet in particular, or who have massaged them for years, can usually begin to correlate certain relationships. This chart can be helpful to you too in identifying any possible problems. Try practicing massage at home or receive massage by your favorite therapist and ask for particular attention to the feet. Allow yourself to become mindful and feel into the sensations… whether pleasure or pain. In the picture above, you can get an idea where you are tense and be curious about the part of the body that is associated there. Knowledge is power and understanding your body is key to your health.
If you have a challenge reaching down or visual problems seeing your feet, ask your caretaker or partner to give you some feedback. For example, if there are yellowing nails- it may be time to see your podiatrist for fungus problems. Keeping your physicians updated on any unusual conditions will help them to decide how to test you for health issues such as diabetes or neuropathy.
Make sure that you change your shoes often. From a Structural Integration perspective, walking in old worn out shoes that are already a reflection of your footstep will worsen your alignment. Different shoes support differently. That makes sense. Engage the whole foot as a whole as much as possible. Keeping your foot balanced is healthy.
Structural Integration and Massage can be great in taking care of your feet. It improves circulation, increases lymphatic flow, engages the nervous system, touches into the reflexology points, enhances flexibility and helps you to feel more grounded and at ease in your whole body. After all, your whole structure comes through your feet as you move through life. So it’s important to bring your attention to this connection of structure.
I know it can be easy to ignore the feet. Everyday they move us around, they do their job so that we forget to feel mindful. However, this is the exact reason why we should change our thinking. For longterm health- pay attention to what is working and make sure that the feet are well taken care of. Let your feet be an indicator of your overall health and wellness. You deserve happy and healthy feet!
For a link to more information on feet:
http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/cf/slideshows/what-your-feet-say-about-your-health?ap=825#slide=1
Warmly,
Sharon Hartnett LMT
Columbus, Ohio
(614) 372-6598
