Does a foot massage have to hurt?

A foot massage is one of the most pleasant treatments. It affects not only the feet themselves but the entire body. It soothes, calms, and helps you fall asleep.

But why does it hurt so terribly in some places? To answer this question, we must delve into the anatomy of the foot.

The complex structure of the foot

The foot, although it looks unassuming, is a very complex organ. It is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 muscles with a total length of almost 6 meters, as well as veins, arteries, and nerves with a total length of 1.6 km. The bones of both feet account for 1/4 of all the bones in our body.

There is plenty to hurt. And plenty of reasons for it to hurt.

Our feet carry not only the weight of our body but all the burdens we carry as well. Excessive load (beware of being overweight!) prevents the feet from working properly and can lead to the development of conditions such as plantar fasciitis.

Similarly, improperly chosen footwear: the wrong heel height, a toe box that is too narrow, or poor profiling will "take their revenge" first with pain, and in the long run, with degeneration, deformities (e.g., bunions), or other conditions.

Our feet can also ache from exertion. Running, trekking mountain trails, dancing—all of this is not only an effort for our feet but often also involves excessive pronation, uneven loading, or finally, technical errors.
Standing for many hours is also a strain on our feet, and they may react to such "treatment" with pain.

Reflex points on the feet

Foot anatomy is not the only "extensive" topic. Another is the so-called reflexology map.

According to reflexology, there are points on the feet, as well as on the hands and face, called reflexes that correspond to specific organs of the human body. Reflexology consists of applying appropriate pressure to these areas, which helps eliminate many health problems and restore balance to the body. If pain appears when pressing a certain spot, it may indicate a disease of the organ associated with it.

Foot pain during massage

Now, foot pain during a massage no longer seems like such a surprising phenomenon, does it?

Our feet can hurt because their muscles are tense. During a foot massage—regardless of whether we do it manually or using a foot massager—we apply pressure to reach deep-lying tissues. A tense muscle is tender, so the massage will be accompanied by pain.

This pain can also persist for several days after the massage—this means that the muscles have reacted correctly to the treatment. They will benefit from recovery then: a salt bath, an elevated position, comfortable shoes.

Pain on the soles of the feet during a massage can also signal the improper functioning of one of the internal organs. For example, we will "feel" stomach ulcers in the middle of the left foot, and the sciatic nerve on both heels.

Stimulating reflexes on the feet will help harmonize the body's functions; however, in the case of internal organ diseases, a visit to a conventional medicine doctor will be necessary, as the massage alone will not solve the problem.

To keep feet from hurting

What can you do to keep your feet from hurting? You need to take care of them: maintain a healthy body weight, pay attention to the footwear we wear, if we train, e.g., running—place huge emphasis on technique, as well as strengthen and massage the feet.

If we suffer from foot deformities, e.g., flat feet, valgus, or high-arched feet—let's correct them. Perform exercises recommended by a physiotherapist, wear shoe inserts. In this way, we will not only eliminate the ailments but also prevent the worsening of the defect, which can have very serious consequences.