If you are a massage therapist with sore feet, you don’t have to just accept foot pain as a part of your life. Taking care of your feet might help you find relief and get back to enjoying your work. We’ve put together a list of ways massage therapists can take care of their feet and relieve some foot pain.
Be picky about your shoes. If you are a fan of high heels, you may want to reconsider your foot wear choices, and at least wear them less frequently. Heels increase pressure on certain parts of your feet and this can cause pain and deformities. Even if they don’t bother you now, high heels could cause problems that could make it more difficult for you to work on your feet in the future.
Wear shoes that fit well. You may not have noticed this before, but one of your feet is probably bigger than the other, so make sure that when you buy shoes, you try both of the shoes on. There should be at least a half-inch between the toe on your longer foot and the end of your shoe.
Don’t buy shoes that don’t fit well. It’s not worth it!
Choose the socks that will support you sole (and your soul). Believe it or not, the correct socks can do wonders for preventing foot pain. If your feet need more support, find socks that have padded soles. You should probably also look for socks that are moisture wicking (like wool or synthetic fabrics). Cotton socks are not always great for people who work on their feet all day because they don’t wick moisture as well, and they can cause blisters.
Stand on a padded surface while you work. This sounds like such a small thing, but if you work standing in the same place for hours (as massage therapists often do), standing on a padded surface can be much easier on your feet. You can purchase a padded mat made to support your feet or you might try standing on a piece of carpet or a couple layers of cardboard. Anything to give your feet some relief from a hard wood or tile floor.
Walk or run to strengthen the muscles in your feet. You probably know this as a bodywork professional, but if you strengthen your muscles, you can avoid injury and pain, and this applies to feet too. Even going on a 20 minute walk every morning might do wonders for your feet.
Stretch your calves. Tight calves make for sore feet. Incorporating a routine that stretches your calves can reduce the stress on the balls of your feet.
Avoid ingrown toenails. Trim your toenails straight across and avoid cutting them too short.
Go for walks and take breaks. If your feet are sore at work, try sitting for a few minutes every so often and taking brief walks. A combination of walking and sitting mixed into your workday can give your feet relief from extended periods of standing in one place.
We hope these tips help you out so that you can keep moving your career forward without the annoyance of sore feet.
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