These Foot Massagers Help Ease Pain and Tension at Home (2024)

If you spend lots of time standing or getting up and down, chances are your toes could use some TLC. Luckily, you don’t have to go to a spa to give them some love. The best foot massagers allow you to enjoy happier feet from the comfort of your home.

Foot massage has been practiced for thousands of years. Rubbing your feet helps improve circulation and reduces foot pain and tension. Research shows foot massage can reduce stress and mitigate pain and fatigue. One 2017 trial even found that foot massage can help ease migraine pain in women. “Foot massage is considered to be an alternative treatment to alleviate pain and encourage good sleep. It helps stimulate nerve function which then reduces blood pressure, it attenuates anxiety levels, and enhances mood,” says Kimberly Nguyen, D.P.M., a podiatry specialist and foot and ankle surgeon at Philly City Foot Doc.

Meet the Experts: Kimberly Nguyen, D.P.M., is a podiatry specialist and foot and ankle surgeon at Philly City Foot Doc. Megan Daley, D.P.T., is a physical therapist at Move on the Daley.

But it’s important to know when a foot massage may not work. “A foot massager can help stimulate nervous system relaxation, but it’s not going to stretch out any muscles or tendons that might feel tight,” says Megan Daley, D.P.T., owner and physical therapist practitioner at Move on the Daley. So, if you’re looking for pain relief and relaxation, foot massagers may do the trick, but if you’re hoping to stretch out your muscles, they may not offer a long-term solution.

It’s also important to realize there are different types of foot massagers available. Nguyen points to four common types: manual (including rollers or massage guns), air compression (help improve circulation), water jets (for stress relief and relaxation), and Shiatsu massage (a bodywork technique available with some massagers). So, consider your needs before making a purchase.

Our top picks:

Ahead, you’ll find the best foot massagers to ease pain, from the most basic to tricked-out models.

With a washable cloth interior, built-in heating, large chambers, and adjustable kneading and squeezing, Renpho’s foot massager is an ideal pick. Plus, it has over 18,000 perfect 5-star reviews. “I won’t lie, my first time using it hurt,” says one Amazon buyer, who got over the pain after two days. “It feels like my toes are being massaged by human hands.”

Nekteck’s device won’t envelop your feet, but it’s still great for a budget foot massager. Its 18 rotating nodes improve circulation and ease pain, while optional heating keep your tootsies feeling toasty. “I don’t know if I have purchased a more delightful item,” one reviewer says. “Don’t waste another moment deciding, just buy it!”

TheraFlow’s wooden model includes 10 rollers with hundreds of individual nodes that manually stimulate feet. At just 1.5 pounds, it’s easy to carry with you to alleviate foot pain anywhere. “Every week I’ve seen improvement,” one Amazon buyer writes. “I honestly believe these rollers are more therapeutic for my needs than the mechanical shiatsu devices.”

This adjustable option has all the bells and whistles of cheaper models, plus the ability to massage your calves and ankles and an impressive 4.5-star average on Amazon. Five separate settings (rolling massage, compression therapy, sway function, heat therapy, and quiet mode) and three levels of intensity mean that you’ll always get exactly the treatment you need.

This heated foot massager stands out with an attached remote and a plush lining that makes it look (and feel) like a giant slipper. Its outer layer is also machine-washable, a saving grace if you have stinky feet. “It gets very warm and the circular motion destroys tension and stress you didn’t know your feet even had,” one Amazon reviewer says.

If you’re looking for a massager that’s under $20, this three-pack is your best bet. With a roller and two massage balls, this set is both effective and small enough to take anywhere. “I bought this for my plantar fasciitis not really believing it would work,” one Amazon reviewer writes, “but it helps to relieve pain.”

This pad might look like a giant LEGO, but it’s one of the highest-rated massagers on Amazon. It doesn’t offer heat, but its 11 vibration modes will keep your feet plenty warm, according to one buyer with circulation issues: “The numbness, tingling, and frozen to the bone feeling in my feet and toes is completely gone.”

Massage guns are a nice option in that they combine the variable settings of an electric massager with the personal control of a manual massage. The Ekrin Athletics massage gun includes five different massage speeds and four different massage heads to help you personalize your foot massage. It's also lightweight and transportable with an 8-hour battery life, so you can take it with you in the morning and enjoy a post-workout massage at lunch., no power cord required.

These cork massage balls are about as lightweight and packable as they come. They also offer a softer massage than the often-used lacrosse or baseballs and are sturdier than a tennis ball. They come in several different sizes (and a combo-pack of two different sizes) so you can choose the level of precision that works for you. You can also use them to target other muscles, like your lats, glutes, or hamstrings.

For one of the most relaxing and stress-relieving foot massages, the Kendal all-in-one foot bath does the trick. It offers heat therapy, bubbling massage, and high-frequency vibration massage. “I’ve owned several foot spas through the years, and this one is all around the best. Very comfortable and roomy for my feet. The bubbles massage option is awesome, not lame at all! Most importantly... it keeps the temperature you set it to! Never gets cold!” says one Amazon reviewer.

For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview medical experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.