Guide to Selecting Foot Massagers

A lot of us suffer from foot pain most of the time, as we often use our feet extensively for working, exercising, and playing sports. The elderly and those with special needs would also experience a lot of foot pain too, as their feet are weaker and more fragile compared to other people. While foot pain is usually unavoidable unless we sit or lie down all day, it can easily be treated using different products, tools, or devices.

One of the most useful items that you can use to alleviate foot pain is a foot massager. What is a foot massager? What are its benefits? And how can you know which specific foot massager is the most effective for reducing foot pain? We will find out the answers to these simple questions as we dive into the guide to selecting foot massagers.

The Foot Massager

using a foot massager after work

A foot massager is a tool or device that is utilized to alleviate pain in the feet, primarily in the soles. Foot massagers apply gentle pressure on the painful areas of the feet, and this pressure can act as a massage that can reduce pain, soreness, and inflammation. A lot of foot massagers have pins that have soft spikes or studs on their surface. These pins roll on the soles of your feet, and the spikes and studs are the ones responsible for applying pressure.

There are different types of foot massagers that you can buy today, with some being powered by electricity while others run on batteries. In addition, there are also foot massagers that you would have to manually move using your hands or feet. All of these types of foot massagers are effective in reducing foot pain and other symptoms associated with it.

The Benefits of Using Foot Massagers

The Benefits of Using Foot Massagers

Foot massagers provide several benefits for people, even those that aren’t experiencing a lot of foot pain. So, even on days that you don’t have foot pain, using a foot massager would still be suitable because of the benefits it provides for different parts or areas of your feet. Here is an in-depth look at the benefits of using foot massagers.

Alleviate Foot Pain

experiencing foot pain

Of course, the primary benefit of using foot massagers is to alleviate foot pain. Foot pain is usually caused by overuse or using ill-fitting shoes, and these two reasons are difficult to avoid, as many shoes today are just too narrow for our feet and we would most likely need to use our feet a lot for work or for exercise.

Foot massagers are effective in reducing foot pain, as they have pins or spheres that apply pressure on the sore or painful areas of the feet. By massaging the affected areas, you will be able to loosen up the sore muscles to reduce pain and inflammation.

Improve Blood Circulation in the Feet and Legs

In addition to alleviating foot pain, foot massagers can also be used to improve blood circulation in the feet and legs. Proper blood flow is essential in reducing inflammation and soreness, as the oxygen that the blood carries is an element that can help in making the healing process for foot pain faster. So, with good blood circulation, you will be able to experience less foot pain, and if you do suffer from it, the symptoms last for a much shorter time compared to when you have bad circulation.

Unfortunately, our feet are prone to having bad blood flow, mainly due to the fact that the blood vessels of your feet are constricted whenever you are wearing shoes. So, in order to bring blood flow back to normal, you will need the help of a foot massager.

Relieve Stress

experiencing headache due to stress

Getting a massage in a spa or massage parlor is very relaxing, and foot massagers will be able to simulate the same relaxing sensation that spas and massage parlors offer. By using foot massagers, you will be able to feel more relaxed, which can then contribute to stress relief.

Stress is one of the contributing factors as to why you are experiencing constant foot pain, as stress can cause your muscles to become tense and stiff. Besides the muscles of your feet, stress can also cause the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and back to tense up and eventually become painful. By using foot massagers, you will be able to prevent stress from making your muscles tense, as stress can already be alleviated once you relax during the massage process.

The Different Types of Foot Massagers

Foot massagers, as we have discussed previously, are available in a variety of types that can be manually used or can run on electricity or batteries. Read below for some of the most common and popular types of foot massagers you will see in stores.

Manual Foot Massager

manual foot massager

The manual foot massager doesn’t require batteries or electricity in order for it to work, as all you have to do to get a massage from the massager is to roll your foot on the pins while they are on the floor. To use a manual foot massager, you would first have to place the massager on the floor and then place your foot on the top of the massager before moving your foot forward and backward so that the pins can apply pressure on the soles.

The drawback to using a manual foot massager is that you would need to exert a little bit of effort to make the pins move. If your feet are already experiencing a lot of pain, then it would be difficult for you to move your feet forward and backward just to get a massage. However, if you have minor or tolerable foot pain, the manual foot massager is still a great option, as it can work anytime and anywhere.

Handheld Foot Massager

The handheld foot massager is the same as the manual massager in terms of how they work even without batteries or electricity. However, the difference is that the handheld foot massager, as its name already suggests, would need to be held by hand as opposed to the manual foot massager, which needs to be on the floor. The handheld foot massager has a handle attached to its frame so that you can easily hold it while rolling the pins on the soles of your feet.

Electric Foot Massager

electric foot massager

The electric foot massager, also known as the foot massage machine, needs to be connected to an electrical outlet to provide massage and relaxation for the feet. Electric foot massagers have pins or spheres that move on their own, so you don’t have to move your feet, hands, or any other part of your body just to get a massager. So, the electric foot massager is more convenient to use compared to the manual foot massager, as they automatically massage and apply pressure to your feet.

Because electric foot massagers are powered by electricity, they don’t really work anywhere compared to manual massagers that work without the need for batteries or electricity. However, the advantage of electric foot massagers is that they are more consistent in providing pressure to the feet, and that pressure can also be adjusted.

Air Pressure Massager

The air pressure massager is vastly different from other kinds of massagers, as this particular type gives your feet and legs a massager using compressed air instead of rolling pins and spheres that you would usually find in other types of massagers. Unlike some foot massagers, air pressure massagers also massage your legs, as they cover both your feet and legs like boots.

Most air pressure massagers have a handheld controller that is connected to them, and the controller can be used to adjust the speed and pressure level of the compressed air that the massager produces. While the air pressure massager doesn’t provide the same level of pressure that other types of foot massagers have, it is more effective in making the blood vessels of the legs and feet more active so that they can help in the healing process of sore and painful muscles.

Water Jet Foot Massager

water jet foot massager

Water jet foot massagers offer your feet not only a massage but also a foot spa. These massagers are usually shaped like a bucket so that you can fill them with water. When using the water jet foot massager, your soles are given massage while your lower legs and other parts of your feet will be submerged in warm or cold water.

For a proper foot massage that can help alleviate foot pain, you should submerge your feet in cold water, which is supposed to be helpful in reducing muscle soreness. But if you want to experience a foot spa, you can adjust the temperature of the water inside the massager to be much warmer. It is important to keep in mind that water jet foot massagers are powered by electricity, so you may not be able to use them in places that don’t have electrical power.

Heated Foot Massager

Heated foot massagers work similarly to other electric massagers, but what’s different about them is that their surface that comes in contact with the feet can be heated. When the surface is heated, it offers warmth for your feet, which is needed during colder seasons or temperatures. However, the heating features of these foot massagers can be deactivated so that they can just work as regular electric massagers.

Battery-Powered Foot Massager

The battery-powered foot massager runs on batteries instead of electricity. Much like most electric foot massagers, battery-powered foot massagers are adjustable, which basically means that you can adjust the speed of the built-in massage pins or spheres and the level of pressure that they exert on the feet. Battery-powered foot massagers aren’t as common as electric massagers, but if you ever find one in stores, it is a great alternative to electric massagers because you can bring and use it anywhere as long as it has batteries installed.

Factors that You Should Consider When Buying Foot Massagers

Factors that You Should Consider When Buying Foot Massagers

The number of foot massagers that you can buy online and in physical shops is increasing each year due to their popularity. Because there are already so many foot massagers available today, it can often be difficult for some people to find the massager that is the most suitable for them. To help you in choosing which massagers to buy, here are some factors that you should consider when buying foot massagers.

Accessibility

manual and handheld foot massagers

The accessibility of a foot massager depends on how easy you can use it and how affordable it is. Most of the affordable foot massagers that you can purchase are manual ones that don’t require batteries or electricity to work. In addition to being affordable, these manual massagers are also very easy to use, and you will also be able to use them anytime and anywhere. So, if accessibility is your top priority, then manual foot massagers are arguably the best ones to get.

Here are a few manual massagers that you can check out:

  • ChiFit Reflexology Foot Massager Tool – one of the simplest manual foot massagers you can buy that features just one rolling pin that you can roll on the floor using your foot. This foot massager has many studs on its surface that apply gentle pressure on the foot to stimulate the blood vessels while also massaging the sore and painful areas.
  • TheraFlow Foot Massager (Large) – if you want a bigger manual foot massager, then you should take a look at the large foot massager by TheraFlow. This foot massager has ten rolling pins, with five for each foot. The first eight pins have softer spikes that give gentle pressure to the soles of the feet, while the last two pins have bigger studs that are effective in massaging the deeper areas of the soles to improve blood circulation and make the inner parts of the feet heal faster.
  • TheraFlow Foot Massager (Single) – a smaller version of the TheraFlow Large Foot Massager that only features one rolling pin. The pin in this foot massager is segregated into studded wheels that move independently. What’s great about this foot massager is that it is so small that it can fit inside most types of bags. Moreover, since it can work without batteries or electricity, you can bring it anywhere with you for outdoor trips or camping sessions.

Adjustability

Another factor that you should consider is adjustability, which is a trait that enables you to adjust the speed and pressure levels of the massage pins and spheres in the foot massager. While manual foot massagers are accessible and affordable, a lot of them don’t really have adjustability. Electric foot massagers are the ones that have adjustable settings, so you can customize how you want your feet to be massaged.

Check out these three electric foot massagers that have adjustable settings:

  • Cloud Massage Shiatsu Foot Massager Machine – this electric foot massager has three levels of intensity so that you can choose how much pressure you want to apply to your feet. There are also five other modes that are available for you to pick from, and these modes are rolling massage, compression therapy, heat therapy, sway function, and quiet mode. Another interesting feature of this massage is that it has a stand or recliner so that you can position it upwards if you want it to massage your legs.
  • TWT Foot Massager Machine – an electric foot massager that gives a deep kneading massage to your feet to reduce inflammation and improve blood flow. The massager has auto and manual massage modes, as well as three adjustable speeds that go from gentle pressure to a strong massage.
  • Snailax Foot Calf Massager – this foot and calf massager by Snailax features three calf massage modes and three foot massage modes so that your calves will experience a different kind of massage compared to your feet. There are also vibration and heat settings on this foot massager that can help in increasing the level of relaxation and stress relief you will feel.

Added Features

a foot massager that can provide a massage and a foot spa

Extra features are also essential if you want your foot massager to offer more than just a simple massage. These added features include heating pads, cooling pads, water jets, etc. You may also want to look for foot massagers that have detachable parts, as they are much easier to clean. While cleaning the detachable parts, you can keep the electric components away so that you won’t accidentally splash water on them and cause damage.

Foot pain is common and almost unavoidable, so it would always be best for you to have tools and devices that can help in reducing the pain. The foot massager is basically a must-have if you want to quickly treat your feet from pain, soreness, and inflammation. We hope that this guide has helped you in deciding what type of foot massager to buy and what to actually look for in terms of features and other details.