Thai Foot Massage: A Panacea for Footsore Tourists

Bangkok’s a great city for tourists but its hot sidewalks are really tough on your feet. Luckily I’ve found the perfect solution – Thai foot massage.

Got five bucks and 60 minutes to spare? Follow me into one of the Thai foot massage salons that pepper Thailand’s capital. In just an hour you’ll feel like you’re walking on air.

Enter the Foot Spa Oasis

The carpeted room exudes the fragrance of balm and a profusion of herbs. Blessed air-conditioning sweeps away the heat of the streets.

A smiling capable-looking woman in a yellow polo shirt adorned with the salon’s lotus-inspired logo motions me to one of a row of brown, leather, reclining armchairs. She’s sinewy with short-cropped hair. I’m soon to learn she also has a grip like a vice, like all skilled practitioners of Thai foot massage need to have.

Feet Reflexology Siamese Style

I settle back in the comfy recliner, propping my legs up onto a footstool. The masseuse rolls my trouser legs up above the knee. After washing my feet in a bowl of fragrant water, she scoops white evergreen balm from an old Nivea can. She spreads it over my feet and calves with bold, confident strokes and the rich scent quickly begins to soothe my mind. Then begins an hour’s energetic kneading, pummeling and pounding.

It’s not strictly speaking reflexology. That art focuses on treating specific areas of the foot which are thought to influence other various parts of the body. Rather Thai foot massage is an overall foot tonic that covers all the angles.

The array of techniques used in Thai foot massage, includes deep probing, toe tugs, drawn knuckle taps, prodding with wooden massage sticks, and joint twisting. An hour passes in no time as toes pop, ligaments crack, and tendons squelch in the masseuse’s firm and expert hands.

Thai Foot Massage Benefits

Pundits claim Thai foot massage can relieve everything from jet lag to high blood pressure. I don’t know about the theory but the results speak for themselves. As I emerge from the salon into the steamy, tropical night, my feet are glowing and I’m ready for anything.

If your feet need pampering and you can’t make it to Bangkok right now, some foot comfort is as close as your eBay account. Check out these items that are sure to revive and treat your feet.