Acupressure wooden foot roller is one pair (or more) tube-shaped woods with spiky surfaces, usually assembled in a wooden frame so it is easy to carry around and preventing it to roll away. At first glance, we can mistake it from just usual wood carving products (indeed, it is a wood carving product). It has gained popularity since 1990s, the time when Oriental healing is spread around the world. See health benefits of foot roller massager.
However, health benefits of acupressure wooden foot roller has been known since 3000 years ago, in Ancient China Empire and Japan. The spikes on the surface of foot roller are meant to stimulate nerve-endings on the feet, just like reflexology foot massage. According to reflexology massage, our feet contain so many nerve endings which are responsible to internal organs. See benefits of reflexology foot massage.
Stimulating the nerve-endings on the feet means stimulating the internal organs too, making them work effectively. Acupressure wooden foot roller is especially more practical, since we do not need to go to massage parlor to get reflexology massage, and we can massage our feet by ourselves at home, just by moving our feet back and forth on the foot roller.
1. Reduces Leg Muscles Stiffness
Our legs have many muscles, which can be stiffened because of prolonged exercises or simply standing for long time. Muscle stiffness can lead into muscle cramps, which can be very painful. Massaging our feet with acupressure wooden foot roller can stimulate blood flow around the feet and muscle tendons, which means reducing lactic acid which is accumulated in the stiffened muscles. See benefits of Chinese foot reflexology.
2. Reduces Muscle Pain around Legs
Muscle pain is usually caused by metabolic waste accumulated in the muscles, especially lactic acid. Massaging painful muscles can stimulate blood flow around the muscle, thus bringing more oxygen and eliminating lactic acid. We can massage our foot with wooden foot roller.
3. Stimulates Internal Organs to Work Effectively
According to reflexology medicine, our feet contain nerve endings of all our internal organs, such as brain, lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, kidneys and reproductive organs. By massaging our feet using acupressure wooden foot roller, we stimulate those organs to work more effectively, thus making our body healthier.
4. Maintains Normal Blood Sugar Level
There are some acupressure points on our feet which act as the nerve endings of pancreas. When we stimulate this point either with massage or wooden foot roller, it is believed that pancreas will produce more insulin, thus keeping the blood sugar in normal level. Of course, this must be accompanied with low-carbohydrate and low-sugar diet. See list of medicinal plants for diabetes.
5. Prevents Gastric Problems
We often have gastric problems, such as gassy stomach, dyspepsia, gastro-esophageal reflux, or even gastritis. The arch of feet between the big toe and heel is the acupressure of stomach. Massaging this area with wooden foot roller has been known to prevent the stomach producing excessive gastric acid, thus preventing us getting gastric problems. People with gastritis are also advised to stimulate this acupressure area, since it can help them heal faster.Â
6. Relaxed Feeling
Foot massage has been known to give relaxed feeling, especially when done after having bad days or after busy days at work. We can try to massage our feet by acupressure wooden foot roller to eliminate stress.
7. Promotes Better Sleep
When our body organs work well, our body can decide whether it is the time to work or to rest. Along with relaxed feeling, this can give us better sleep quality. Enough sleep also give us many health benefits. See benefits of sleeping 8 hours a night.
8. Maintains Normal Blood Pressure
Stress and lack of sleep are known to increase blood pressure. We can prevent hypertension by massaging our feet with wooden foot roller regularly.
9. Maintains Normal Body Weight
There are some acu-points on our feet which contribute to metabolism of fats and sugar. By stimulating those points with wooden foot roller regularly, it will increase metabolism, which burn fats and sugar into energy, thus preventing us to get obesity.
10. Maintains Smooth Blood Flow
Standing too long can disturb blood flow especially in lower limbs (legs), resulting in varicosed veins, tingling feeling, and even numbness on the toes. Massaging our feet with wooden foot roller stimulates smooth blood flow around the limbs, even around the body.Â
11. Increased Immunity
When the blood flow smoothly and all our internal organs work effectively, we cannot get infection easily. This means reducing the probability of getting common colds and other infections.
12. Increases Fertility
Our heels are acupressure points for reproductive organs. By massaging them regularly, we stimulate reproductive glands (ovarium and testes) to produce sexual hormones adequately. These hormones are key to healthy reproductive system, which means keeping us away from infertility. See also health benefits of goat kapura.
How To Use Acupressure Wooden Foot Roller
Everybody can use accupressure wooden foot roller, from children, teenagers, adults, and older people. It is very easy to use. Simply put the foot roller on the floor and put your feet on the spiky surface. Roll your feet back and forth; the roller should roll too following the direction of your feet. Depends on how you like it, you can put more or less pressure onto the spiky surface. Do this continuously for 30-60 minutes everyday.
To get the best result, here are the tips to massage your feet with wooden foot roller:
- Choose the time when you are less busy and relaxed, for example in the evening after dinner or supper.
- Put the foot roller in room where you spend most of your time waiting to get asleep, for example in the living room, at front of the TV.
- You can massage your feet with the foot roller while watching TV, reading, or doing other relaxing activities to prevent getting bored.
- Add aromatherapy according to your liking.
Since we already know the health benefits of acupressure wooden foot roller, we can buy it for ourselves, or our loved ones. We can find the roller online or any Asian home stuffs supermarket. Use this roller regularly, and we will see how our body get healthier and fitter.