The Top-Rated RENPHO Foot Massager Gave My Achy Feet Some Serious Relief

• Value: 17/20
• Functionality: 19/20
• Ease of Use: 19/20
• Feel-good Factor: 20/20
• Customization Abilities: 19/20
• TOTAL: 94/100

It started during the pandemic: aching feet that weren’t exactly painful but would often feel sore and cause me to sit down and knead them with my hands, trying to rub away the discomfort. I eventually went to a podiatrist and was told that I suffered from plantar fasciitis, a common condition where the ligament on the bottom of the foot is inflamed.

“The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that forms part of the arch in your foot. Overuse injury, repetitive strain or tension on the plantar fascia causes pain at its origin on the bottom of the heel bone,” Dr. Suzanne Fuchs, a foot and ankle surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Palm Beach tells me. The fix is to get proper footwear (even while WFH!) and stretch regularly. I tried my best to do both, but I admittedly got lazy and wished for an easier way to get relief. Enter: a foot massager. But not just any foot massager—the RENPHO Foot Massager ($130)  that boasts over 20,500 five-star reviews on Amazon. Could this top-rated device help soothe my aching feet? Keep reading to find out.

Anyone who’s ever experienced a foot rub will tell you that it feels heavenly but per Harvard Medical School, kneading your feet also comes with some pretty sweet health benefits such as improving circulation, stimulating muscles, reducing tension and easing pain. And while the experts have advice for how to give yourself a DIY foot massage, there’s no denying that a device makes the process significantly easier.

For my own aches and pains, the makers behind the RENPHO state that “regular foot exercise coupled with deep massage, where you apply strong pressure on the arch, can help significantly lessen the pain [of plantar fasciitis] and even cure these conditions.” And the pros at Medical News Today agree, saying: “Massage can help stretch the plantar fascia and increase blood flow to the area, which can promote healing.” The experts caution, however, that plantar fasciitis massage can be painful, so it’s important to take things slowly and stop massaging if the pain becomes too intense.

One of the things I like most about the RENPHO is how easy it is to use. You simply plug the device in, insert each foot into their respective cloth-covered pocket and pick your settings. And that’s another major draw of the device—it’s highly customizable. There are five touch screens to choose from: Time (opt for a 15- or 30-minute session), Knead Intensity (the actual massaging that can be applied with low, medium or high pressure), Air Intensity (a squeezing feeling that can also be set to low, medium or high) and Heat (full, bottom or instep).

I tried all the settings and liked them for different reasons. The lowest settings were very gentle and reminded me of when I ask my husband for a foot rub and he doesn’t really want to (i.e., a barely perceptible kneading motion). This was a nice way to feel a little pampered while writing a work email (the machine easily fits under a desk and the soft whirring sound is oddly soothing) or just as a quick pick-me-up in the middle of the day. When my feet were particularly achy (say, after a day of pounding the sidewalk or an intense workout), I would opt for the highest settings, which felt so good. I wouldn’t say it’s the equivalent of having a professional masseuse tend to your feet but it definitely provides enough pressure and kneading to ease the tightness, although this may be too intense for some. (When my husband tested this setting, he winced in pain and this viral TikTok from lifesrad also shows how strong the settings can be). The Full heat setting was always too much for me (with or without socks) but I’m sensitive to heat so it may feel dreamy to someone else. The point is—you have plenty of options with the RENPHO.

Fortunately, the American Institute of Alternative Medicine explains that “foot massage is generally safe and can be enjoyed on a daily basis. Unlike deep tissue massage, foot massage uses light strokes, so your feet won’t feel sore.” But experts caution that a foot massager shouldn’t be used more than 30 minutes a day (preferably split up into shorter sessions rather than one prolonged session) and you should always stop if you experience any discomfort or pain.

As such, I’ve gotten into the habit of turning my device on for two 15-minute sessions per weekday. And truthfully, my feet have never felt better. I wouldn’t say that the plantar fasciitis is gone (I know I should be doing more stretching and exercises for that) but it is much improved. I’ve also noticed that if I go for a three-day stretch without using the massager, I can feel the soreness coming back.

• Lots of customizations
• Feels great
• Easy to use

• No remote
• Quite large
• Expensive

I love using the RENPHO Foot Massager on a near daily basis to ease my sore feet and help my muscles relax. There are lots of options to customize the settings to whatever kneading and pressure level feels best for you, and it’s very intuitive to use. The biggest downsides are that there is no remote (so you have to bend down to switch up the settings), its larger size (not ideal if you live in a small space) and the $140 price tag. But overall, I would definitely recommend this device for anyone who needs some pain relief or just wants to treat their feet to a little bit of at-home luxury.

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