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Massaging sore muscles is often instinctual after a tough run. Coming home, sliding off your shoes, and sitting down to rub your feet (or having someone rub them for you) simply feels good. But what if you had a place to put your feet that offered a similar sensation, without the work of self-massage?
That’s pretty much the goal of an acupressure mat. Acupressure is a variation of the traditional Chinese medical systems of acupuncture and reflexology. The goal of these practices is to release tension through pressure points.
To help you better understand the benefits of acupressure mats, we evaluated the research and talked to two physical therapists who have worked with runners of all levels. They’ve included acupressure mats in their patients’ recovery regimens to find out if these tension-relieving tools can provide real advantages.
What are acupressure mats?
Acupressure mats are designed to stimulate pressure points along the body’s meridians, or energy lines, to allow chi (Qi) or energy, to flow freely. Unlike traditional acupuncture, which involves inserting tiny needles into specific parts of the body, acupressure mats apply non-invasive pressure to the body, Christine M. Scarano Ward, D.P.T., physical therapist at Trinity Rehab tells Runner’s World. Acupressure stimulation can address a large area of the body, such as the back, or a smaller area, such as the feet.
An acupressure mat has several plastic evenly-spaced points that press on parts of the body that, theoretically, causes a response in the parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” state, helping you to relax.
While big, long-term research on acupressure mats is lacking, some smaller studies point to the benefits. For example, one study of 32 participants published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2011 looked at whether lying on an acupressure mat could induce relaxation. For the study, researchers used the Shakti mat and while participants felt pain for about 30 seconds, their self-reported relaxation increased over time. Researchers also suggested that the parasympathetic nervous system kicked in to help them calm down.
Another study involving 44 participants, published in Applied Sciences in 2021, found that combining an exercise program with 60 minutes per day of time spent on an acupressure mat helped to relieve chronic low back pain and improve quality of life.
“There is limited research regarding acupressure mats, specifically, however, the concept of acupressure as a non-invasive complementary medicine treatment has stood the test of time,” says Scarano Ward.
ShaktiMat Premium Acupressure Mat
A classic, this acupressure mat is sustainable and ethically handcrafted in India with certified organic cotton.
Made with organic cotton, the set comes with a pillow.
Kanjo Memory Foam Acupressure Foot Mat
This mat uses foam rather than cotton for padding, and, according to its website, all their products are FSA/HSA eligible.
How an Acupressure Mat Can Benefit Postrun Recovery
Just like your favorite foam roller, acupressure mats promote blood flow to an area and release tension, making them suitable for recovery. Plus, the time needed to use an acupressure mat and see benefits is low, fewer than 20 minutes a day, says Eric Madia, M.S., certified strength and conditioning specialist at Athlete’s Warehouse.
Madia, who has worked with athletes ranging from competitive track and field and distance runners to average exercisers, says that a common thread across all, regardless of activity level, training age, and gender was a lack of foot and ankle strength. This is due in part to wearing shoes and socks that protect our feet from the ground, says Madia.
“An acupressure mat can help begin the process of strengthening our feet and ankles by providing a way to promote blood flow to bare feet, allowing fresh nutrients and oxygen to the muscles within our feet,” Madia says. “If you do not have foot and ankle strength, it is difficult to become a more functional human, let alone a better athlete.”
An acupressure mat is an easy and effective way to promote recovery within the foot and ankle complex. In conjunction with a proper exercise program, the benefits of the acupressure mat become that much greater, says Madia.
How to Use an Acupressure Mat
When using an acupressure mat for the first time, Scarano Ward suggests wearing socks or placing a pillowcase on the mat to ease into the sensation. You can also sit on a chair and place your feet on the mat to better control the amount of pressure you experience. Once you get comfortable, you can progress to standing—first using a countertop or other stable surface for moderating the pressure and ultimately progressing to standing on the mat with all of your body weight.
Generally, experts recommend you use the mat for just 10 to 20 minutes at a time to elicit a therapeutic benefit. However, if you have problems with your feet, such as neuropathy, or if you have an open cuts or blisters, the experts recommend you skip using the mat.
In addition to using an acupressure mat to address achy, fatigued feet, consider other reasons why you may experience foot pain. A weak or unstable core, weak or tight hip muscles, tight calf muscles, or poor-fitting shoes could be setting you up for lower extremity aches and pains, says Scarano Ward.
Mats should really be used for recovery that feels like an ache, not for acute pain.
