Podiatrists Say This $20 Foot Massager May Help Help With Anxiety, Fatigue, And Sleep (2025)

The Homedics Shiatsu massager delivers immediate pain relief to feet up to a men’s size 14 using a mix of massage techniques that feel nearly as good as a real-life massage. Plus, it’s easy to clean—just dust or wipe down the outside to give it a refresh, and throw its removable liner in the wash when needed. That winning combo is what moved us to make the Homedics foot massager our best overall pick.

WH fitness contributor Jennifer Nied, who regularly deals with sore feet, loves keeping this Homedics foot massager under her desk at home for its deep tissue and compression massaging capabilities. "It has multiple settings and levels, so it's possible to customize the exact massage my feet need that day, whether it's recovering from a tough workout or targeting tough knots," Nied says.

The foot massager features an easy-to-control panel that’ll let you switch between kneading or air compression, and another to add heat for a more soothing touch. In each massage mode, it’ll let you switch between three intensities—low, medium, and high. The ‘mode’ button also lets you experience a custom massage that features a combination of air compression and kneading. Those with more sensitive feet may want to steer clear of the massager’s highest setting, since some users do find it quite strong. Here’s a pro tip, though: Wearing thick socks can make its highest setting a little more tolerable. But if you’re looking for something that more closely simulates a real-life deep-tissue massage, its highest setting is the way to go.

Nied also likes that the foot massager is timed so that it doesn’t exceed a max of 15 minutes. "The timed session helps me stay productive and works as a reminder to switch tasks during my work day,” Nied says.

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While this foot massager isn’t made with the bells and whistles of many of the other options on this list, users say this one delivers addictive pain relief—and for less than $20. It’s a wooden apparatus made with 10 rollers and 96 nubs. To use it, simply roll your feet against it with as much or as little pressure as you like. As the nubs target different pressure points on your feet, they’re supposed to stimulate blood circulation and improve muscle tension.

This foot massager is designed to be a form of foot reflexology, the idea that applying pressure to different parts of the feet can promote healing all over the body (not just the feet!). In fact,studies have shown that foot reflexology can have a moderating effect on anxiety, fatigue, and even cancer, according to a report in the Journal of Healthcare (Basel).

The TheraFlow wooden massager is great for targeting the parts of your feet where you need relief the most, since you can easily reposition them on the rollers to add pressure wherever needed. We like that the foot massager is made with an anti-slip base, keeping it in place. Its arched design also makes it easy to target every part of your feet from your toes to your heel.

The Therabody Wave Solo is designed to simulate the relief you can get from rolling your foot on a lacrosse ball, which “helps to bring blood flow to the muscles and small joints in the feet that can become stiff and sore," says Utah-based physical therapist Alyssa Kuhn. But the Wave Solo is better than the standard lacrosse ball because it adds soothing vibration to the experience. You can cycle through three different intensity levels as you roll the ball along your feet (or other areas like your back, too!).

I’ve owned one for about two years, and it’s my go-to after a long day of wearing heels or tight shoes. That kind of footwear is usually very uncomfy for me because it puts pressure on my bunion and foot arch. The vibration from this tool brings immediate pain relief to my feet—I can’t imagine living without it.

As one of the only rechargeable foot massagers on this list, the Wave Solo offers 120 minutes of battery life, which is pretty good since I only use it for less than 15 minutes at a time. Still, I do occasionally forget to recharge it and get frustrated when I realize the battery is dead.

But that necessary charging time is a small price to pay for the relief it brings. Plus, I love that this tennis ball-sized massager is super compact, so I can easily stash it in my work or gym bag when necessary.

While $80 might seem like a splurge for such a small product, I think it’s a bargain since I feel like it really has helped my muscle tension and soreness.

Renpho is a recognizable name in recovery products, and the brand’s foot massager is a solid pick if you’re looking for relief that incorporates heat. Using reflexology, the Renpho foot massager targets specific areas on your feet that signal your body to relax, perfect for those who struggle with chronic foot pain. Designed for maximum comfort, this massager gradually intensifies the heat, squeezing, and kneading so you can ease yourself into just the right level of relaxation. The massager offers three heating levels, and goes up to a max of 131 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mohammad Rimawi, MD, a podiatrist at Manhattan Foot Specialists, loves this option for neuropathy (a condition that can cause weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet) patients, since its heating is so customizable. In addition to different levels of heat, you can also switch between high, low, and medium levels of air compression and kneading, too.

Switching between different settings is also a breeze since the massager comes with a remote control. That said, one downside to this massager is that it only targets the heel and arch of the foot—it doesn’t massage toes. So, it’s not the best option if you’re looking for a heel-to-toe experience.

While most of the other options on this list are also made with air compression features, users love that Nekteck’s massager squeezes feet from the top. That allows you to better feel the pressure and sensation of the rollers at the bottom of the feet. To better describe the experience, your feet feel like they’re inside two pumping airbags that rhythmically deflate and inflate to stimulate the nerves in your feet.

In addition to air compression, the massager is also designed with a kneading mode, and a heat function. Both the kneading and air compression modes come with low and high settings, but users say that the massager can feel a bit too intense on its highest settings. The roller balls the massager uses to soothe the feet can feel like they’re digging into them when the air compression is high, since it basically pushes your feet into them.

Still, we love that the massager is very easy to use and clean. Its control panel clearly indicates the massager’s modes and intensity settings, and its foot sleeves are removable and can be thrown in the wash for a quick clean. Plus, because it’s rechargeable, we also love how portable it is. There’s no need to sit next to an outlet to get it to work.

Using air bags to achieve different compression sequences, this heated massager can provide instant comfort to tired feet and legs. It helps release tight muscles, and for some, its massage can help eliminate muscle spasms and decrease swelling and pain in the lower body. The massager features two heat levels, which combined with the compression massage, can improve circulation and increase relaxation.

Additionally, you can use a remote control to set the compression massage to one of three different modes—sequences, circulation, and whole—at three different intensity levels. Sequence mode simulates an upwards massage, which starts at the bottom of the feet and then makes its way up to the top of the calves. Circulation mode massages the entire feet and then the calves. And lastly, the whole mode massages the feet and calves at the same time.

We especially like that this massager can accommodate different leg sizes because it is secured using a velcro wrap-around feature with extenders that are suitable for wider legs. Its inside linings are also removable, so you can throw them in the wash whenever they need a refresh.

If you’re interested in taking this recovery tool on-the-go or simply want it out of the way when you’re done using it, it even comes with a storage bag.

If you love a multi-functional, space-saving solution, this Snailax 2-in-1 massager is the way to go. You can use it as a foot massager, a back heating pad, or a seat cushion while getting your daily tasks done. It features a top cover that allows for you to slip your feet in and keep them secure, but you can also remove the top cover so you have a flat surface to use on your back or bum.

The plush massager features eight rotating shiatsu rollers and soothing heat that can target muscle aches, knots, and general fatigue. Unfortunately, this massager isn’t made with a series of intensity settings, but we do like that you can use it on different body parts and that it comes with a remote that allows you to control the rotational direction of the massage nodes. The massager also comes with a machine-washable cover, which makes it easy to keep clean, and its non-slip bottom helps keep it in place no matter where you use it.

Meet The Experts

• Brooke Riley is a massage therapist and corporate training specialist at Massage Heights, a massage therapy chain.
• Mitzi Williams, DPM, is a foot and ankle specialist/surgeon at the Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. ​​
• Mohammad Rimawi, MD, is a podiatrist at Manhattan Foot Specialists. He specializes in general podiatric medicine, podiatric dermatology, and minimally invasive reconstructive surgery including bunions and hammertoes.
• Alyssa Kuhn, DPT, is a physical therapist and osteoarthritis specialist. She also is founder of the blog Keep The Adventure Alive.

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