Foot Massage for Health: Easy Self-Massage Techniques

Author: Wang Jing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Health foot therapy offers a new approach and method for those seeking health, with advantages such as safety, hygiene, cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and convenience. It has been widely embraced by the general public and will lead the new trend of national fitness. This book covers 22 classic foot therapy techniques, illustrates the precise positioning of 64 foot reflex zones, and provides detailed explanations of foot therapy for 101 common conditions, showcasing the miraculous effects of foot therapy in a concentrated manner! The foot massage methods introduced in this book are suitable for both traditional foot therapy performed by others and for self-massage. For consistency in narration, they are throughout the book. Foot self-massage is favored by the general public for its lack of adverse effects, simplicity, ease of learning, affordability, and effectiveness. Over the years, the author has given lectures across the country and deeply felt the urgent need of the public for a practical foot therapy book that is easy to understand and learn. The language of this book is simple, the illustrations are vivid, the content is presented in an accessible and progressive manner, and it perfectly meets the needs of the general public.
Foot scraping and massage health is a simple and effective non-drug natural therapy that stimulates foot reflex zones using physical methods (including using hands alone or a scraping and massage board). It originated from the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, where foot massage is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine. Over 2,000 years ago, the classic medical text Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon detailed the meridians and acupoints throughout the body, many of which are located on the feet. For example, the Stomach Meridian (Foot Yangming) includes points like Lidui, Naiting, Xianggu, Chongyang, and Jiexi, while the Gallbladder Meridian (Foot Shaoyang) includes points like Ziquoyin, Xiari, Dawuhui, Zulingqi, and Qiuxu. The Bladder Meridian (Foot Taiyang) includes points like Zhiyin, Zutonggu, Shuguo, Jinggu, and Kunlun, and the Spleen Meridian (Foot Taiyin) includes points like Yinbai, Dade, Taibai, Gongxu, and Shangqiang. The Liver Meridian (Foot Jueyin) includes points like Dadun, Xingjian, Taichong, and Zhongfeng, and the Kidney Meridian (Foot Shaoyin) includes points like Yongquan, Rangyu, and Taixi.
Moreover, ancient texts detailed the relationship between meridians, acupoints, and the five zang organs and six fu organs. It was pointed out that when an organ is diseased, its pathogenic qi can be reflected to the surface acupoints through meridians. Conversely, if an acupoint shows sensations of soreness, numbness, swelling, or pain, or if local nodules appear, it indicates dysfunction or disease in the corresponding or related organ. Foot acupoints can reflect or treat a wide range of systemic diseases. For instance, stimulating Xianggu can treat facial edema, abdominal and pain, and pleurisy, while stimulating Kunlun can treat neck and head pain, prolonged labor, and dizziness. Stimulating Xingjian can treat headaches, dizziness, menstrual disorders, and glaucoma. By massaging or acupuncture on foot acupoints, dysfunction in corresponding internal organs can be corrected, restoring health and preventing disease, thereby promoting longevity.
The Inner Canon also frequently mentions the principles of massage for healing. For example, the Basic Questions·On Pain states: "When cold qi invades the meridians of the back, the meridians constrict, causing blood deficiency, which leads to pain. The meridians connect to the heart, so the pain is aggravated. When pressed, warm qi reaches the area, and the pain stops." Another passage says: "When cold qi invades between the intestines and stomach, under the membrane, the blood cannot circulate, causing small collateral vessels to constrict and pain. When pressed, the blood and qi disperse, relieving the pain." These passages propose the basic pathological change of "obstruction leads to pain, while unobstruction leads to no pain" and the therapeutic mechanism of massage in unblocking meridians and dispersing qi.
Foot massage has long been unable to gain recognition as a refined practice due to cultural or historical reasons, and it has been more widely in the folk. However, medical texts and other ancient books still contain records of it, such as the General Treatise on the Sacred Remedies·Immortal's Guiding Exercises which mentions "using the hand to hold the tip of the foot and close the breath to draw the qi from Taichong." The famous Song Dynasty literary figure Su Dongpo had extensive research and experience in health preservation. He highly praised the benefits of persistently rubbing the Yongquan point on the sole of the foot, stating, "The effects are not immediately noticeable, but after accumulating for over a hundred days, the benefits are immeasurable."