Around the House

#51 · Foot arch massage roller

Place under the arch of your foot and roll it back and forth. Instant pressure-point relief after a long day.

Rolling the arch of your foot over something slim and firm is a standard physiotherapy exercise for plantar fasciitis and general foot tightness. A chopstick on the floor is a perfectly reasonable version of the £12 knobbly roller sold for the purpose.

How to do it

1. Sit down, barefoot, with the chopstick on a hard floor - carpet absorbs the pressure you are trying to apply.
2. Rest the arch of one foot on it and roll slowly from just behind the toes to just in front of the heel.
3. Use your body weight to control the pressure, leaning forward for more.
4. Pause for twenty or thirty seconds on any spot that feels tight.
5. Thirty to sixty seconds per foot, once or twice a day.

Why it works

The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue running from heel to toes, and it tightens overnight - which is why the classic symptom is pain on the first few steps in the morning. Rolling it applies a slow sustained stretch along its length and increases local blood flow, both of which reduce that morning stiffness.

Tips & warnings

• For a cold version, roll a frozen water bottle instead - a chopstick holds almost no cold, so freezing one achieves nothing.
• Slow and steady. Fast rolling feels more active and does considerably less.
• A tennis or lacrosse ball gives you a point rather than a line, which is better for a specific tight spot.