After a long day at work or school, there’s no better feeling than walking through your own door and kicking off your shoes, knowing you won’t have to go out again for the rest of the night. Our feet take quite a beating day in and day out. Treat your feet with these five home remedies.
Stretches
There are a lot of simple stretches you can do to relieve the achiness from your tired feet. Here are just a couple of examples:
- Sit on the ground so that the bottoms of your feet are flat against a wall when you fully extend your legs. Keep your back straight and hold your arms out straight in front of you as you slowly lean forward to stretch your calf muscles.
- Stretch the top of your foot by tucking your toes under your feet so that the tops of your toes are touching the ground, curled underneath your foot. Apply slight pressure and hold for about a minute before switching to your other foot.
Foot baths
Soaking your feet in alternating hot and cold water (about five minutes per temperature) will boost circulation in your feet. If you can take it, put ice cubes in the cold tub and use water as hot as you can stand for the other. Additionally, to create a spa-like environment in your home, try these five simple foot soak recipes to instantly relieve tension and feel like a pampered queen.
Massage
Be your own masseuse and gently rub out the aches and pains you feel. Your feet are more readily accessible, making it much easier to give yourself a foot massage than it would be to try and give yourself a back or neck massage. Apply pressure to trouble spots and if you’re feeling fancy, mix some essential oils into vegetable oil or use regular baby oil for a soothing and moisturizing rub. You can also roll your feet over a golf ball or tennis ball for a hands-free experience.
Raise them up
When you get home, elevate your feet to reduce swelling that could be caused by standing on them all day. Prop them up on a pillow or do an elevated wall-stretch by lying on your back and placing your heels up against a wall. Form a ‘V’ with your legs and you’ll gently stretch your inner thighs, relieving stress in your arches.
Pick things up with your toes
Scatter different sized objects on the floor and try to pick them up with your toes. Use pencils, crayons and markers of different circumferences or try using marbles and small toys to stretch out and use a lot of the muscles that sit crammed inside your shoes all day.
Well-fitting, comfortable shoes also do wonders in helping prevent and relieve foot pain. Shoe inserts are an easy way to make your footwear comfortable without sacrificing style. Do one or a few of these each day to promote good circulation and keep your feet in tip-top shape.
