ACUPRESSURE POINT FOR FOOT PAIN

ACUPRESSURE POINT FOR FOOT PAIN

If you suffer from foot pain, it can affect your ability to perform basic tasks, from running errands to cooking a meal. In traditional Chinese medicine, the feet are especially important because they contain a high concentration of pressure points, and your body draws energy or qi through them. Acupressure can help ease your aches and increase the flow of qi to your entire body. Acupressure is not a replacement for conventional medical therapies.

THEORY

In traditional Chinese medicine, qi flows along lines called meridians. Each meridian nourishes a different organ such as the bladder, heart, kidneys and liver. Each has its own energy line, according to the the Association for Meridian & Energy Therapies' online meridian map. Pressure points are sensitive areas that lie on the meridians. The end points of many meridians cluster in the feet. When you work on pressure points in the feet, you not only benefit the feet themselves, you also release stale qi in the organs themselves.

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TECHNIQUE

Locate pressure points on your feet by following a chart or meridian map. Probe the area firmly with a fingertip. You'll know you've hit a point when you find a spot that is much more tender than the surrounding area. Once you've found a point, massage it in a small counterclockwise circle. This movement removes any stagnant qi. Then press and hold the point. This action increases the flow of qi, according to the website Eclectic Energies.

HOW IT WORKS

Muscle spasm, soreness, emotional imbalance and chronic pain are all related in traditional Chinese medicine to the accumulation of tension that blocks the free flow of qi. When you manipulate a point, you release tension, according to Acupressure.com. Don't be afraid to work on a point for three to five minutes at a time, especially if it's sore. When you feel a numb sensation spreading out from the point, you've released the tension it was holding. While points on the feet can be especially sensitive, they are also a little easier to locate and release.

BUBBLING SPRING

If you suffer from cramps or pain in the front part of your foot, you might have a problem with your bubbling spring, according to Hans-Ulrich Hecker, acupuncture lecturer at the University Clinic in Kiel, Germany, and co-author of "Practice of Acupuncture." The bubbling spring is the poetic name for the first point on the kidney meridian. This point is responsible for drawing qi from the earth and into the kidneys. Find the bubbling spring on the sole of your foot, one-third of the way down from the base of the second toe.

POTENTIAL

Work on your feet by massaging the points that sit on top of them, where the bones of each toe merge, advises Acupressure Online. Start with your thumb or finger in the space between your big and second toes on the foot that is less sore. Slide up toward the ankle, firmly pressing into the space between the bones until you find a tender spot. Slowly massage the spot in counterclockwise circles, then press and hold it. Move to the space between the second and third toes. Work on the space between each of the toes. Repeat for your other foot.