Foot massage has been around for hundreds of years, and spans many cultures. It’s frequently been used to improve health and relax the body. These days, most forms of foot massage borrow elements from a variety of disciplines, such as shiatsu and reflexology.

These traditions operate on the belief that applying pressure to the more than 7,000 nerves in the foot can release energetic blockages in the rest of the body. Foot massage and reflexology can be used as pain relief, to help alleviate stress and even to speed up injury recovery.