Foot pain comes in various forms. When you feel it on the bottom of your foot, arch, or heel, it may be plantar fasciitis. You just want it gone so you can keep up an active lifestyle.
Let's take a look at how massage can help and learn about the best foot massagers for plantar fasciitis.
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What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the band of tissue (called a fascia) at the bottom of your foot that runs from your heel to your toes. It causes heel or arch pain and sometimes even heel spurs.
About two million patients with plantar fasciitis are treated every year. (1) It's actually the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel. Those that participate in high-impact activities like running, dancing, or basketball are more likely to have to deal with plantar fasciitis.
Does Foot Massage Help Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is essentially a repetitive strain injury to the fibrous tissue on the bottom of the foot. One of the benefits of deep tissue massage is that it helps loosen the tendons, ligaments, and fascia that have become painfully tight.
If pain persists, it's best to speak with your doctor to develop a more comprehensive treatment plan.
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Does Rolling Your Feet Help Plantar Fasciitis?
Many manual massagers use a rolling technique to loosen the muscles in the feet. This will help relax your plantar fascia, making it less likely to become irritated. While you need to use enough pressure to get a deep massage, ease off if you feel any pain.
What to Look for in a Foot Massager for Plantar Fasciitis
When you are dealing with plantar fasciitis pain, you need a foot massager that will provide relief. It needs to be able to provide a deep tissue massage.
Manual vs. Electric
There are two main types of foot massagers: manual and electric. Both can provide powerful massages, it depends on your personal preferences as to which one is best.
A manual massager uses your body weight as pressure on rollers to work the muscles. It is possible to get a very deep massage using just a manual massager. These massagers cost less than the electric foot massagers, but won't provide as relaxing an experience.
An electric foot massager does all the hard work for you. Just sit back and relax while the device gets rid of the knots and tension. These foot massagers can offer various massage techniques like shiatsu, rollers, air pressure, and vibration. Some may also have a heat feature.
We did not include any foot spa massagers on this list. While it is a relaxing way to pamper tired feet, it doesn't have the deep massage power needed to help with plantar fasciitis pain.
Acupressure sandals could be an alternative solution to help with the foot pain.
Heat
Heat will help relax your muscles and make it easier to get deep into the tissue. Most of the top-rated electric foot massagers include a heat option, while most manual massagers do not.
Easy to Use & Clean
You don't want a massager that makes your life more difficult. It needs to be easy to use. Almost by definition, a manual massager will be simple to operate. Some electric foot massagers have lots of built in program options to get started.
Since you will be using the massager for your feet, it is bound to get dirty. You need one that is quick and easy to clean.
Portability
If you want to use your foot massager in multiple places or when you travel, it needs to be portable. While most foot massagers aren't very heavy, they will take up some space in your suitcase.
If portability is your priority, a manual foot massager may be your best option. You also won't have to worry about cords or charging.
Versatility
Some foot massagers can also be used to treat other parts of the body. For example, there are those designed to massage both the calf and foot. Also, some manual massagers can be utilized on other areas of the body.
The Top Foot Massagers for Plantar Fasciitis
While there are a lot of highly-rated foot massagers on the market, which ones are the best for people who have plantar fasciitis? We have summarized the options in the table below with detailed reviews further down.
Brand | Key Features | |
|---|---|---|
Naipo  | ||
Cloud Massage   | ||
TERELAX   | ||
TheraFlow   | ||
TOBREFE   |
Best Electric Foot Massagers for Plantar Fasciitis
Naipo Foot Massager with Heat
If you are struggling from plantar fasciitis pain, this deep kneading foot massage machine will be your personal therapist for treatments in the comfort of your home. With just 20 minutes a day, you will feel relief for most common foot pain.
With its 18 deep-kneading nodes, it can target pressure points on your foot using two rotation directions, stimulating blood flow and relieving stress. Add some heat and use the unique resin massage ball to get a 360° massage.
The specialized curved design of this foot massager allows people with any shoe size (and even high arches) to enjoy a triple action shiatsu foot treatment comfortably. The mesh insert lets your feet breathe.
With a center button that’s angled towards you, there’s no need to bend down to start, stop, or adjust the heat during your massage experience, you can just press it with your toes. It doesn't get much simpler than that!
Cloud Massage Shiatsu Foot Massage Machine
This calf and foot massager uses heat to get deep into your muscles and boost your circulation. Even at the lowest setting, the massage is intense. If you can handle the pressure, you will quickly notice improvement in pain from plantar fasciitis and other ailments.
It offers five different massage modes:
- rolling massage
- compression therapy
- sway
- heat therapy
- quiet mode for calming relaxation.
We like the versatility of this massager. With a simple adjustment, it can go from massaging your feet to massaging your calves. It also offers different settings for heat, air compression pressure, and vibration to customize the treatment.
It has an open toe, so it will fit most foot sizes. The calf area is 5 inches wide and 11 inches long when the air pressure cuffs are deflated.
TERELAX Foot and Calf Massager
The TERELAX foot massager does more than just help with plantar fasciitis pain. It can also give your calves, legs, sole, toes, ankles and arms a powerful deep massage thanks to the 360-degree adjustable support bar. When you stimulate these areas, you can ease tension throughout the body.
You can enjoy a massage while watching TV, working at the office, or just relaxing at home. Using the newest 3D massage technology including soft silicone rubber pads, rotation balls, rolling sticks with smooth heat components, it offers deep kneading, squeezing, rolling and scraping, or shiatsu massage.
You can choose from three modes and three speeds and add heat if you like. It's designed to heat slowly to protect you feet, so it will take a few minutes to warm up to 108℉.
When you start using this foot massager, it's best to use the lowest settings initially. It comes programmed with a 15 minute shutoff, but you can adjust it up to 30 minutes.
The open configuration will fit most feet and calves less than 5" wide. The liner is removable, so it's easy to keep clean.
This foot massager machine is FDA registered and comes with a 1 year warranty. TERELAX aims to provide 100% satisfaction for their customers, so you can contact them if you have any concerns with the product.
Read more reviews and check the price here.
Best Manual Foot Massagers for Plantar Fasciitis
TheraFlow Dual Foot Massager Roller
This foot massage roller looks simple but it's quite effective especially considering its price tag. A lot of research has gone into every detail, like the number of acupressure nubs, and the arch has been configured to suit a range of feet types.
The 10 independently-moving rollers can work wonders when it comes to stimulating and soothing your feet. Just glide your feet on the TheraFlow and the warmth of reflexology will radiate from your feet to the rest of your body. Pain and stress melt away.
With a foot roller like this, it doesn't matter if you have big feet. In addition to plantar fasciitis, it can also help with pain in the arch, neuropathy, and other foot ailments.
RELATED: The Best Foot Massager for Large Feet
Since this manual foot massager only weighs 1.5 lbs, it's easy to take it with you wherever you go. No batteries or wires are required. You can use it while travelling, at work, or watching TV. It comes with instructions and tips on proper usage.
If you’re unhappy with your Theraflow Foot Massager for any reason, they will replace it or give you a refund, no questions asked.
TOBREFE Foot Roller Massage Ball Set
Similar to the Theraflow massager, this combination of tools are simple to use and don't require any electric power. Simply roll your feet on the foot massager a few times a day and you will notice reduced pain. It's a great massage for relieving tired achy feet, treating plantar fasciitis, and more.
The set includes one foot roller and two massage balls. While the massage roller is ideal for the foot, arches, and heel, the spiky balls are designed to reach spots that the roller can't. It's a full body massage solution that you can easily take with you to the office or on a trip.
It's all made from non-toxic premium TPR and PVC material, so it's designed to last and easy to clean. There is no chemical smell. The spiky outer layer provides a stimulating effect that increases circulation throughout the entire body.
You will appreciate the clever design of this massage ball set as you roll through trigger and acupressure points. It's so versatile that you can use it on hamstrings, quads, chest, biceps and triceps, forearms, wrist, hands, feet, calves, shoulders, hamstrings, upper and lower back for pain relief.
What is the Best Foot Massager for Plantar Fasciitis?
When you have plantar fasciitis, some foot massagers are more effective than others. You need a machine that can give a deep massage that will provide relief. Here are our picks for the best plantar fasciitis foot massagers.
The Best Overall Foot Massage Machine for Plantar Fasciitis
The Naipo foot massager has 18 deep-kneading nodes plus heat to help relieve plantar fasciitis pain. It's easy to use as everything is controlled with one button. It fits all foot sizes too.
The Best Plantar Fasciitis Foot Massager for the Money
It may not be fancy, but this simple foot roller can get similar results to the more expensive foot massager machines. Additionally, since it's lightweight and doesn't need cables or a battery, it's easy to take with you anywhere.
More Ideas to Treat Plantar Fasciitis
Massage is only one option for treating plantar fasciitis and managing foot pain. See the infographic below for more things that you can do for plantar fasciitis pain.
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