Your hands and feet put in a lot more work than they get credit for. Repetitive motion, strain, health issues, weather, and many other things can contribute to aches in your hands and feet. It's a great idea to turn to professionals for help, but sometimes you can also use some simple tips to help you get through the day or week. Here you can learn ways that you can tend to your own hands and feet using items you have at home or can find in most grocery or health food stores. Combine these methods with regular visits to a massage therapist as well as your general physician in order to keep your hands and feet in optimal health.
Make Use of Epsom Salts
Epsom salts are really a combination of the minerals magnesium and sulfate, both of which are easily absorbed by the body and offer numerous benefits to your muscular system, nervous system, and even your skin. Try the techniques below to use Epsom salts to benefit your hands and feet.
- Sprinkle some Epsom salts in warm water before soaking your hands or feet in the water for around 10-15 minutes to temporarily ease aches and pains.
- Mix the salts in with a moisturizing body wash. Use your favorite foot brush, loofa, sponge, or even your hands to work the mixture into your skin. You are giving your hands and/or feet a massage, but you're also exfoliating and moisturizing the skin at the same time.
- For a full body experience, put about 1/2 cup of Epsom salts in your bath water before having a long, relaxing soak. Use the body wash/salt mixture on your hands and feet when you get ready to wash in the bath.
Start a Morning Ritual
If you tend to have sore hands or feet, it may be a good idea to tend to them in the morning, before you make use of them for the day.
- Enjoy a cup of stinging nettle tea, often used to relieve the aches and pains that come with arthritis. As you sip the tea, it may help to wrap your hands around the warm cup and reap the benefits of the heat on your achy hands.
- Give yourself a morning massage. Work out the stiffness by massaging your hands and feet with circular motions. Use a light oil or moisturizer to reduce the friction on your skin and help protect the skin from the harsh elements of the day.
- Do a morning stretch. Simply spread your fingers and toes as far as they will go. Doing this for just a few minutes can be beneficial to your muscles. Like the stretches you would do with your legs before a jog, your hands and feet can benefit from stretches before use as well.
Be sure to consult a professional physician and massage therapist to help you with long term problems. These tips can help you get through the day, but professional advice can help you take care of the problem on a long term basis.
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