Before dropping $50 on a foot massager you may use once and forget about, try this self-massage technique from an acupuncturist.
Dr. Eileen Li (@anew.acu), a licensed physical therapist at Anew Integrative Acupuncture in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, says that her method can help with bunions, plantar fasciitis and general foot pain — but she admits it looks a bit funny.
“Have you ever held hands with your foot?” she asked her 686,000 TikTok followers.
Wearing heels or shoes with a narrow toe box doesn’t give room for toes to “move and glide like they should,” Dr. Li said.
That can cause plenty of problems, including unsightly bunions, bony bumps that grow at the base of the big toe.
Bunions don’t just not look nice: They can also be painful, growing red and swollen. Plus, they force the top of the big toe to lean toward the foot, crowding the other toes and potentially causing corns and calluses to form.
In really bad cases, bunions can lead to hammertoe and bursitis, an inflammation around the joints.
Dr. Li said spending just five minutes a day on her technique can bring relief, and it can be done while you watch TV or scroll on your phone.
“Massaging in between your toes can actually be beneficial,” she said.
To do it, place your index finger between your big toe and second toe, your middle finger between your second and third toes, and so on until it looks like you’re “holding hands” with your foot.
Grip and move it in a circular motion. You can also bend the toes upward and back down, stretching the foot out.
Strengthening the muscles in the feet has also been shown to be helpful for people with bunions.
An article in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy identified three exercises that can decrease pain and improve movement. All should be done barefoot and repeatedly until you’re tired.
The first, called short foot, involves keeping your feet flat on the ground and lifting your toes upward, without curling them.
For the second, the toe-spread-out exercise, keep your heel and the front of your foot flat on the ground while lifting and spreading your toes. Finish by pushing your big toe downward toward the inside of your foot.
Finally the heel-raise requires standing with knees bent. Then raise up to standing on your toes, putting pressure on your big toe and holding that position for five seconds.