How to use the electric massagers for plantar fasciitis? (UK)

Plantar fasciitis is a common condition in athletes and people who perform intense physical activities at home or at work. For this type of person, there are different options of electric massagers that will relieve pain related to damage to the myofascial tissue of the foot.

Learn how massagers can help you continue to lead a healthy life by treating plantar fasciitis, which massagers are best for your feet and how to use these products if you have recurring arch pain.

What is plantar fasciitis and how to treat it with an electric massager?

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation and irritation of a tissue located on the sole of the foot that maintains the shape of the plantar arch and connects the toes to the heel bone. Initially, people feel exhaustion in their feet, but the pain becomes chronic if the signs are not addressed in time.

It is a condition that strikes runners, footballers and people who have a busy schedule where they have to be on their feet and walking a lot, so it is common that when you get home you feel tired, but your feet hurt more when you get up in the morning.

Electric massagers can reduce the signs of plantar fasciitis such as pain, foot discomfort, muscle fatigue, stiffness and tingling sensations. This is how a good product should help in the treatment of fasciitis.

• Myofascial release: fascia is actually a tissue found throughout the body, but in the feet it is denser and more resistant. However, it also deserves stimulation to make the fascia relax and maintain its elasticity despite the fact that the feet support the body's weight and physical demands.
• Improves circulation: this is a benefit that helps the feet to receive a greater amount of oxygen and nutrients, which occurs due to the dilation of the vessels and veins that favour blood circulation and guarantee a correct venous return.
• Reduces muscle tension: tense feet cause stiffness when walking and pain when people relax their bodies. It is common for people to feel sharp pain when waking up in the morning, this is due to the positions and twists that the person makes unconsciously while sleeping.
• Maintain the shape of the arch: massages will keep the fascia and tissues that make up the plantar arch elastic. The use of tight shoes with inadequate ornaments increases the likelihood that people will feel pain in the soles of their feet when walking in this type of footwear that does not fit the plantar anatomy.

What are the best electric massagers for plantar fasciitis?

There are different types of products on the market that are also useful for treating plantar fasciitis. Check out the options available to you on our website.

Vibration massager balls

These are mostly smooth or lightly ridged, hand-sized balls so you can do stimulation via percussion massage with vibrations that release tension in the fascia. The best vibrating balls come with certain settings such as rhythm and intensity of the impulses.

You only need to place this product on the sole of the foot from the heel to the metatarsals, with gentle strokes that allow you to feel relief in the plantar arch and heel, where the signs of plantar fasciitis are usually concentrated as long as there are no tears in this tissue.

Electric foot massagers

These are friction massage based products, where the stimulator heads rotate in a way that simulates the movement of an expert's hands, but with similar results. Most products come with the option of heating the feet to promote blood circulation.

For correct use, place your feet on these products and make sure you are prepared to spend some time alone, where no one can disturb the stimulation you will feel from the first moment you use these products.

Vibrating Foam Roller

Although the massaging roller has many benefits for the body, when it is a roller with vibrations, they are also useful for massaging the sole of the foot by simply turning on the product and initiating gentle stimulations, as the arch of the foot has important nerve endings.

You can try using the Foam Roller in a conventional way, with gentle gliding and gentle pressure, while the skin adjusts to the ridges and bumps that vibrating models tend to have. Try not to extend the stimulation for more than 20-25 minutes, which is the recommended time for the use of this product.

Portable Mini Massage Gun

This is a completely portable device that is more intuitive to use than the larger guns. It has a unique soft ball-shaped head that is ideal for safe massage of the soles of the feet. It comes with a manual that details how to safely use the gun to soothe plantar fasciitis.

However, a correct way to use it is with gentle movements, without pressure at first, with two or three strokes while the skin adapts to the new sensory experience that will relax the fascia, reduce pain and stiffness when making movements on the feet.

Muscle massage gun

This is a more professional product, ideal if you are more experienced in trigger point treatment or if you are involved in sport. These guns come with a set of interchangeable heads that will alternate the intensity of the stimulation on the skin.

However, it is always advisable to use the soft, large, rounded tips when massaging the soles of the feet. Use the gentler vibrations when starting with the treatment of plantar fasciitis symptoms.

How to use an electric massage machine to relieve plantar fasciitis?

Although there are different models, types of massages and sizes of products to help relieve the signs of plantar fasciitis, there are some generalities you should be aware of:

Technique

For a correct relief of pain and discomfort, it is not enough to massage the sole of the foot, although you should start there because it is necessary to relax the tissues in the area where it hurts the most.

• Place the massaging product on the arch of the foot.
• Start with gentle vibrations and gliding.
• Control the pressure with your hands or body weight.
• Also massage the tibialis anterior muscle, which allows the toe to be lifted.
• The stimulation on the tibialis anterior should be brief.
• Massage the calf muscles, which lower the toe.
• Use more pressure on this area whenever you feel relief.
• Place the massaging product on the peroneus brevis and peroneus longus muscles on the side of the tibia.
• This routine should be done on each limb.

Why stimulate the whole leg? The fascia and tissues in the foot are not isolated, so they connect with ligaments and tendons in the tibia. In this way, the painful area and the possible causes of pain in the plantar fascia are treated.

If you have temperature regulating devices, take these suggestions into account:

• Wear socks if you have high sensitivity.
• Try to stimulate your feet for 10 minutes, although the maximum is 20 minutes.
• You can vary between movements and increasing the temperature, if the device allows it.
• A good massage should combine both stimulation and heat control in one session.
• If you feel discomfort, stop using the product immediately.

Time per session

• The whole session can last up to 40 minutes.
• You should spend, on average, 20 minutes on each leg.
• Whenever there are breaks, you can give stimulations on each muscle for five minutes.
• Note that when there is heat in the massages, the time is reduced to five and 10 minutes on the feet.

Regularity of sessions

• You can do the whole massage routine twice a day, if it is a percussion session with vibrations.
• The recommended time is three times a week, if you massage twice a day.
• It is important that the muscles have time to recover, so allow for rest days.
• Do not use massage products if you feel pain during stimulation.
• In case of inflammation and chronic pain, remember that the use of these products is not recommended.

Although these devices are designed for domestic use, remember that there are some risk factors that you should be aware of and where the use of electric massagers of any kind is not recommended:

• When there are sprains or fractures in the ankle and toes.
• When there are open wounds, due to cuts.
• When the skin has fungus and skin infections.
• When there are severe vascular problems, in these cases, it is better to have expert guidance.
• When there is fever and general malaise.

What are the best alternatives to plantar fasciitis electric massagers?

Check out this list of the best products on our website that will help you reduce plantar fasciitis pain and improve the health of your feet.