Ever wondered how you can give yourself your own self-care foot Reflexology? Our very own Acupuncturist, Michaella, guides us through the whole process:
The function of the nervous system is to relay communication from the brain to all parts of the body and return communication to the brain through nerves (peripheral nervous system) located along the spine that radiates out to all the organs and glands.
This reflexology session will help you physically release built-up mental and emotional tension from:
- the arches
- balls of the feet
- tops of the feet
reflecting the areas of your spine; upper back; lungs; chest; diaphragm, and solar plexus.
Soaking your feet in a hot Epsom salt bath beforehand may assist with releasing foot tension. If you prefer, add your favourite relaxing botanicals and essential oils, especially if you’re doing this before bed. Enjoy a glass of water before and after your reflexology.
- Start massaging a cream, oil, or foot butter onto one foot.
- Ankle Rotation: Grasp the heel with one hand and place your other hand over your toes; slowly rotate your foot with your hands 10x one way and 10x the other way.
- Extension Release: Gently press your hand down over your toes until you feel a stretch along the top of your foot and into your shin. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Flexion: Gently pull your foot back toward your knee. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Spinal Twist: Place one hand above your ankle and the other on the top of your foot, twisting the top hand back and forth 2x.
- Spinal Walk: Starting at the heel, thumb walk along the ridge of the bone up along the arch to the base of the big toe and back down to the heel 2x.
Any area(s) of tension slide up and down. For a deeper release, hook the tight area, and press in as you exhale for 3 seconds. Repeat the hook and hold 3x if needed. Finish by sliding over that area.
- Zone Walk: Starting at the inside of the heel, thumb walk up your foot to the big toe, slide up and down and in the tight area(s) a couple of times. Hook and hold for 3 seconds as you exhale for a deeper release. Repeat the hook and hold 3x if needed.
- Soul Mover: Place thumbs in the hallow below the middle ball of the foot with your fingers wrapped around the front of the foot. Slowly press in with your thumbs while you pull your fingers over the top of your foot. Repeat 5x.
- Toe Walk: Starting with the big toe, visually divide your big toe into five zones and thumb walk up and slide down each zone.
Thumb walk up and slide down the remaining toes, and using your index finger, finger walk down between each toe.
Place your foot flat on the floor and thumb walk up the five zones of the big toe and up the remaining toes.
- Metatarsal Walk: Keeping your foot flat on the floor, thumb walk up the top of your foot between the bones of the toes. Areas of tension slide up and down and hook and hold for 3 seconds as you exhale for a deeper release if needed.
- Pull Up and Rotate Toes: Gently pull up on each toe and rotate 3-5x in each direction.
- Lung Slide: Using your thumbs, slide up and down across the ball of your foot 2-3x.
- Solar Plexus/Diaphragm Walk: Starting at the arch (spine) base of your big toe, thumb walk across the bottom of the ball of the foot to the hollow at the center of your foot. Using your other hand, thumb walk from the outer side of your foot across the bottom of the ball of the foot to the hollow at the center of your foot. Repeat 2x.
- Thumb Slide: Place both thumbs in the center of the ball of your foot below your toes, and spread them apart as you make your way down to the heel and back up to the ball of the foot.
- Spine/Solar Plexus Walk: Thumb walk up along the arch (spine) from above your heel to the base of your big toe and down 2x. Slide up and down over tight areas and hook and hold if needed for a deeper release.
- Repeat the same sequence on the other foot.
- Solar Plexus Hug: Once you have completed the sequence on the other foot, place both feet in a butterfly pose, crossing one hand over the other, hug the arch of each foot with your hands as you wrap your fingers across the middle of your feet with your thumbs resting on the tops of your feet. Hold for 1-3 minutes.
Contraindications:
- Foot fractures; open wounds
- Active gout
- Pregnancy – 1st trimester
- Varicose veins
- Blood clotting disorders
- Untreated heart disease; uncontrolled blood pressure
- Cancer patients