How does it work? To start, I simply mash the soft padding of the ball of my foot into the aforementioned spikes and wince as I feel a perfect twinge of pleasure and pain. Then I roll the ball back and forth across my arch; it tickles a little but soothes out any cramps or lingering tightness. And what about that twinge in my heel? It simply dissipates after I push the ball in a downward circular motion. Ah, sweet relief.
When I found myself foot-rolling morning and night, I started to get a little concerned…maybe this wasn’t healthy? Perhaps I’ve become addicted? Dr. Liza Egbogah, an osteopath whose quest for comfort led her to design her own line of pain-free heels, reassured me that my new habit was A-OK. “The spiky ball helps to manipulate the fascia [connective tissue] and muscles in the feet. Because we have more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments in the foot, having numerous spikes can help relieve tension throughout the foot and get blood flowing to areas that may be tight and restricted,” she said.
Dr. Liza went on to explain why I found myself foot-rolling—even when I wasn't in pain—the spiky ball stimulates acupressure sites. And according to traditional Chinese medicine, these spots correspond to meridian lines that release energy in other parts of the body. “By manipulating your feet with the ball, you can help ease stress, decrease pain and improve energy throughout the body,” she explains.
Basically, this little $10 tool gets near-perfect marks from me, with a tiny ding for coming in only one color (because, admittedly, I’d like to color-coordinate it to my bedroom carpet). I did take off a few more points because the optimal use of this ball actually requires that I stand up, which…I’m really lazy, okay?
Also, if the makers could figure a way to make this massage tool squirt out a cooling foot gel and then give me a pedicure, that would be super. But failing supernatural upgrades, I’m looking forward to a long, pain-free future with my little red spiky pal.
I’m Beyond Obsessed With This $7 Scalp Massager from Amazon
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