How to make a massage mat with buttons for children with your own hands?

How to make a foot massage mat with your own hands

How nice it is sometimes to walk barefoot on the beach at the very edge of the water!
And even if there is not the beauty of the sea coast around, but a modest, but so native Ural landscape, the benefits of such a walk are no less. The only thing that can prevent this is the onset of cold weather. Yes, summer is short in our area, and we really want to extend it. And if it is not in our power to influence weather conditions, then everyone can save a piece of summer. The idea of ​​creating a foot massage mat came just in time for the end of summer. The prospect of imprisoning my feet for a long time in shoe captivity was not at all pleasing. I’m also somehow not in the mood to wander barefoot through puddles or snow. Meanwhile, feet tired during the day need not only freedom, but also a good massage. The so-called foot therapy is not only an excellent way of relaxation, but also the prevention of flat feet in children. I remember in kindergarten, after quiet time, we always splashed our bare feet on rubber foot massage mats. These can still be found in stores if desired, but they are unlikely to be very popular among modern children.

I offer you a more interesting and low-cost version of a massage mat with stones, which your loved ones will certainly like. In this article I will tell you how to make a foot massage mat with your own hands.

Idea to make a foot massager

With age, problems with sore feet appear in everyone. The muscles have already weakened and the joints have worn out, the blood vessels have narrowed. I began to feel my legs especially strongly after moving to a new place of residence and changing jobs.

Now she works in shifts, she’s on her feet for 12 hours, you can’t sit down for the whole day. By the end of the day, my legs hurt so much that I want to howl like a wolf.

I began to think about how to solve this problem and help my tired feet. The wife remembered that when they lived in Adler and worked as cooks at Rosa Khutor, after long shifts, walking along the pebble seashore was a good help for tired legs.

After thinking a little and “doing magic” with available materials, I decided to make a piece of such a coast with my own hands.

How to make a foot massage mat with your own hands

Preparation

First you need to prepare the materials. The first step is to collect the stones, because we are going to make a massage mat with stones. I collected stones on the bank of the nearest river. It is better to choose stones of the same size, round in shape without sharp corners. This will make the surface of the future rug more uniform. Since I did not collect the stones alone, it was not possible to maintain uniformity in size. However, this did not at all worsen its massage properties.

So, the stones have been collected. Now you need to clean them of sand and dirt. You can even soak them for several hours in a solution of potassium permanganate or soap, then rinse them thoroughly under running water. We place clean stones on a towel to remove excess moisture, and then leave them on a dry surface for a day to dry.

The basis

For the base, you can take any durable material. The ideal option is awning fabric or tarpaulin. The finished rug can be easily rolled up and stored in a closet. A rubberized bathroom mat will also be a good basis for a future massager. This material is moisture resistant and easy to maintain. True, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to roll up a finished rug on a rubberized base, but it can easily fit, for example, under a sofa or at the bottom of a closet.

Before pasting, it would be better to degrease the rubberized base with alcohol or acetone. If you choose fabric, wash it and iron it thoroughly.

Dimensions

If you have the desire, time and enough material, you can make a whole massage track. But, in my opinion, the optimal size for a rug is this: an adult’s foot in width and two feet in length. Such a massager will not take up much space in the apartment and at the same time will perfectly cope with its main function.

The choice of glue must be taken seriously, since the quality of the future rug depends on it. If you don’t want to constantly re-glue fallen stones afterwards, then choose glue with reliable fixation. Moment type glue is perfect. It is quite possible that using a glue gun you can securely attach the stones to the base. But the glue consumption is quite high, and the refills for the gun are not cheap, so, in my opinion, it is worth looking for a more economical option. I only have universal PVA in sufficient quantity at home. It is suitable for gluing almost any materials, and considering the fact that I did not intend to roll up the mat, the degree of fixation suited me quite well.

Main process

So, the materials are ready, so let’s proceed directly to making the rug. There are two ways of pasting, you can choose the most convenient for you.

1. Apply glue evenly to the base, and then arrange the stones in the desired order, cover with something the size of the rug (for example, a kitchen wooden board or tray), press tightly with weights and leave for a day. You can use dumbbells or a cast iron frying pan as a load.
2. A better, but at the same time troublesome, method is to apply glue to each pebble. This way you can control the pressing force, which will ensure reliable fixation of all parts of the future rug. After pasting, in the same way as in the first case, we dry the finished product under a load for 24 hours.

By the way, the density of gluing the stones to the base depends only on your desire. However, too large gaps should be avoided, otherwise the massage effect will be minimized.

Ready

When the glue dries, you can proceed directly to the massage. Five minutes a day of intense stomping on such a carpet is enough to improve blood flow and relieve tension from the lower extremities. Not to mention that on the feet, as well as on the palms, there are many points associated with various parts of our body. Stimulating these points has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the entire body. But the most important thing is that the massage mat will be great entertainment for your child. My son, for example, loves to stomp on it while watching cartoons. I think it's a good way to combine business with pleasure.

Source: www.diy.ru

Benefits of a massage mat

A massage mat is a floor covering with a relief surface made of heterogeneous elements. Thanks to its complex effect on the body, this product allows you to solve numerous problems with health and well-being, therefore exercises on a massage mat are recommended for both children and adults.

For babies

For a child, walking on a multi-colored rug with many bumps will become, first of all, a fun game, and will also help prevent the development of flat feet, scoliosis, etc. The use of an orthopedic rug provides:

• correct formation of the arch of the foot;
• strengthening bones and joints;
• activation of brain activity and improvement of mental development due to stimulation of nerve endings in the feet;
• strengthening the immune system;
• a charge of vivacity and good mood.

It is better to start training from an early age, when the baby’s musculoskeletal system is easily adjusted. As soon as the child learns to stand well on his feet, he can begin classes. At first, you can help the baby by supporting his hand, and in the future the baby will be happy to do the exercises himself, turning physical therapy into entertainment.

Benefits and harms

If you use the mat for flat feet correctly, on the recommendation of an orthopedic doctor, there will be no harm to a child or an adult. In addition to its beneficial properties, the massager has a number of contraindications:

Children perceive exercises on mats to prevent flat feet as a game. They should be comfortable standing or walking on uneven surfaces. They should not experience any discomfort or pain.

When starting to use an orthopedic product, which includes mats for the prevention of flat feet, you need to consult with specialists to find out how to use them correctly. It is important to do a warm-up and at the same time make sure that the foot does not receive excessive loads, and also that the unevenness does not cause pain.

Before using the device, you should study the list of possible contraindications

When using a massage mat according to the recommendations of an orthopedic doctor, it is simply impossible to harm your health

Useful purchase: what to look for

When choosing an orthopedic massage mat, you need to focus, first of all, on its size. A small product is suitable for children. For older children, it is better to buy a mat on which you can not only stand or walk, but also perform simple exercises. Adults should choose flooring so that they can take several steps on it.

Those who prefer to do gymnastics on a massage mat should focus on the range of motion (so that you can lunge, sit down, lie down).

The surface relief of the product deserves special attention. Thanks to the different shapes of the convexities, a certain effect is achieved:

• plastic tubercles create the feeling of walking along a coastal strip strewn with pebbles;
• the tall ledges are reminiscent of walking on grass;
• zones with low, hard pile provide more active stimulation of the legs and help relieve muscle tension.

It is best to purchase a combined massage mat with a segmented coating (several sections with different types of relief) made of natural rubber, which will provide a comprehensive effect on the body. And for kids, the best option would be a silicone or rubber puzzle mat made of multi-colored squares, which will fit well into the interior of the children's room. In addition, young athletes will be able to assemble it themselves before classes, giving it the desired shape and size.

DIY massage mat

If desired, you can make an orthopedic massage mat yourself at home. This will not only save the family budget, but also create an exclusive item to suit your taste.

To complete the work you will need basic sewing skills, a variety of relief elements and a little time.

As the main covering, you can use thick fabric of colorful colors, to which you can sew or glue various three-dimensional objects in any order:

• multi-colored buttons or large beads;
• pencils or wooden sushi sticks;
• small chestnuts or smooth stones (pebbles are better);
• bags of grain and cereals;
• pieces of thick cord or rope.

You can also use sponges for dishes, cork stoppers for wine, plastic dumplings (after removing the legs so as not to injure the skin of the feet). As an alternative to fabric, you can take a smooth wooden board and stick prepared massage objects onto it.

The product should be roughly divided into square zones with different relief coatings (like a chessboard), or a long path should be made with sequential changes of segments.

And little restless ones will certainly love the orthopedic mat with “footprints” on which they can jump and enjoy every activity.

How to use it correctly at home

To achieve a positive effect, exercises on a massage mat must be regular and in no case cause pain, otherwise, instead of benefit, you can cause harm to the body. The pain signal received by the brain automatically blocks the work of the active reflexogenic zone, resulting in a negative effect on the organ for which it is responsible. For young children, a short workout (for 3 minutes) is enough, and as they grow older, the intensity and duration of exercise must be gradually increased.

A set of exercises for children

The first days are a period of adaptation, during which the baby gets used to walking on the mat. To captivate your baby, you can use your favorite toys and accompany the activities with short rhymes, to which your baby will rhythmically walk along the embossed surface. Next, it is recommended to perform simple exercises:

• walk calmly on the mat;
• alternately walk on the outside and inside of the foot;
• move backwards;
• roll from foot to foot, from toe to heel and back;
• walk alternately on your heels and toes, maintaining a straight posture.

In the future, the training complex can be expanded by adding more complex elements: running at an average pace, high and long jumps, cross steps and running, stamping on bent legs, circular movements of the feet, flexion and extension of the toes.

To prevent flat feet, a couple of workouts a day for 5-10 minutes is enough. But if the child is tired, the lesson must be completed.

Adult training

You can successfully combine training with watching TV or cooking by placing an orthopedic mat on the floor in the living room or kitchen. People who work at a computer can put a massage covering under the table and exercise without getting up from their chair, periodically stamping or making rolling movements on prominent bulges.

By stimulating the nerve endings in the feet, the orthopedic massage mat has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole and gives positive emotions. And if you conduct classes to your favorite music, the workout will turn into physical psychotherapy and will give you a boost of energy for the whole day.

Source: www.beauty-shop.ru

How to use it correctly

Most orthopedic mats are used as follows:

• spread on a hard, smooth base (not carpet);
• take off shoes, socks;
• stand on the massager and begin to perform a set of exercises that the doctor should recommend;
• The duration of classes starts from 5 minutes a day and gradually increases.

If the task is to prevent or cure flat feet, the complex usually consists of several parts:

• warm up the feet, walk on an orthopedic mat;
• take steps alternately on the outer and inner sides of the feet;
• perform rolls from the toe to the heel area;
• walk on toes and heels;
• squats;
• perform jumps.

If pain occurs during exercise, the workout should be stopped.

Before using the massage mat, your feet must be warmed up.

Exercises that need to be performed on the mat usually combine walking, jumping, and foot rolls.

How to make a massager with your own hands

You can make this thing at home from several available materials:

• stones are most suitable for this purpose;
• thick felt;
• cereals: beans, peas, millet;
• fruit seeds: plums, cherries, cherry plums and apricots;
• chestnuts;
• buttons;
• pieces of wood.

From the list of materials, you can choose any option you like.

From stones

This variation is the most widely used, but in its creation a number of conditions must be observed. Round or oval shaped material should be used. Pebbles work great - they should be the same size. Having selected the required number of pebbles, you need to wash them with soapy water and, preferably, heat them. This will ensure the destruction of bacteria and make them safe for health. Next you need to do the following:

1. Prepare a rectangular piece of base. It is better to use soft rubber or matting of a suitable size.
2. Glue the prepared pebbles onto the base.
3. When all the material is placed on the base, press it down using a flat board or piece of plywood and press down with a weight.
4. Leave the product for a couple of days to dry completely.

REFERENCE! Another method is suitable for craftswomen who know how to sew. To make a massager, you need to sew a bag of the required size. Place pebbles inside and quilt the bag so that each pebble is in its own pocket. Please note that with this method, the bottom layer of the base should be much thicker than the top.

For children

To massage children's feet, it is best to make a massage track. It will consist of several sections filled with elements of different sizes. In an example it would look like this:

• base section with sewn buttons;
• a plot full of beans;
• section with peas;
• a plot filled with millet;
• section with soft filler.

How to

In general, there are three ways to make a massage mat correctly:

1. Sewn from natural felt;
2. Padded - elements that influence the active zones are in shells (bags) made of natural fabric;
3. Stacked - active elements are sewn or glued onto a base that absorbs grease.

From felt

Even N. M. Przhevalsky noted that the nomads of Central Asia, living in literally murderous natural conditions, enjoy enviable health and longevity. In the light of subsequent research, it turned out that the felt bedding of the yurt plays an important role in this; When entering, both owners and visitors left their shoes at the entrance and walked in the yurt on rough felt barefoot or wearing soft ichigs. The yurt's bedding quickly wore out, so it was sewn from waste and scraps, and the upper surface of the bedding was covered in scars.

Felt foot massage mat

The orthopedic and restorative (therapeutic) effects of a felt massage mat are very high and are ensured by the very mechanical properties of the felt; it seems to adapt to the skin of the foot stepping on it. Therefore, you can sew a massage mat from felt without worrying about its visible structure and texture, as long as you get a relief of approx. 1 cm (see photo). But, of course, a felt foot mat will require a lot of work and will not be cheap. But if you add imagination to the work, a felt massage mat can become a meaningful interior item. There are no contraindications to using a felt mat for people of any age and health status.

Printed

The therapeutic effect of a printed massage mat is stronger, but softer than a felt one, because, firstly, it falls evenly over the entire area of ​​the foot; secondly, irritation of the nerve endings by hard villi is excluded. The orthopedic effect is much less, because smoothed by fabric covering the active elements. Therefore, a padded massage mat is best suited for:

• An adult whose bones have already completely hardened.
• For a child who has just begun to walk - the bones are still soft, a padded mat (see below) can arch the arch of the foot too much or lead to clubfoot.
• For a child under 2-3 years old, if there are doubts about the correct formation of the leg bones. Suddenly the parents think that the baby’s legs are somehow different, and the doctor says: “It’s not clear yet. Let him grow up,” then a padded massage mat will not harm in any way and, quite possibly, will eliminate the problem in the bud.

A padded massage mat for children and adults will have a beneficial effect if it is made in the form of a path of sections, see Fig., filled with active elements of different fractions (of different sizes).

Printed massage mat

The length of the section is per user step; width – arbitrary. The number of sections, except for the end ones, is at least 4. The penultimate section is often done in typesetting to enhance the overall effect, see below. As you move along the path, the impact gradually increases to a maximum and ends abruptly. For the secondary pass, the path is bypassed and started again with minimal impact. When they say that you need to go to the end, stand on the last section and come back, this is wrong. In order for the active points to perceive and transmit excitation, its peak must be fixed, for which the active points require 5-20 seconds of complete rest. The same complete rest is needed for active points to prepare for excitement. Compare with sex: without foreplay and rest afterward, sexual intercourse does not bring satisfaction, but harm. Therefore, if the rug is walked around a hard floor, then for preparation at the beginning and at the end for “sludge” a section filled with granulated fibrous filler for upholstered furniture – holofiber – is added. Without them, a sharp transition to the hard will shock the excited active points and reduce, completely eliminate or even reverse the overall effect.

Note: if there is no room for a long track, you can sew a compact one, see fig. on right. They don’t walk on this, but step over it. The compact massage track should lie on a carpet or the like. soft floor covering.

Sections of the massage track are sewn from any cotton fabric suitable for children's bedding and accessories, for example, soft bumpers for a crib: calico, flannel, flannel. For the little ones, in order to develop a smooth gait, it is useful to supplement the massage path with footprints, see, for example, the video below.

Video: homemade massage track for children

The walkway sections are most often filled with cereals and/or plant seeds. They absorb fat well and permanently. The key to the benefits and effectiveness of a massage mat is clean, dry feet. This, by the way, is a serious advantage of massage mats over walking barefoot on the ground. However, cereals, firstly, quickly crush and generate dust. Secondly, trampling food somehow does not fit with generally accepted moral principles. Therefore, it is advisable to completely replace cereals with seeds (ranging from small to large):

• Grape seeds, rowan seeds, wild hawthorn, boxwood are a must.
• Seeds of apples, pears, quince, cultivated hawthorn, cucumber seeds are a must.
• Cherry plum seeds.
• Date pits or cherry pits are a must.
• Hungarian plum pits.
• Plum or apricot pits are a must.
• Peach pits - can be used instead of the typesetting section.

The word “required” marks the positions for filling the sections of the mat in a minimum configuration of 4 sections. The seeds indicated in one position can be mixed in the sections, but it will only be better. Acorns, unfortunately, are no good: the thin shell soon breaks, and the mashed kernel releases tannins that are in no way beneficial for the skin. The same applies to acacia seeds, but they are too flat. All seeds must be thoroughly dried before filling.

typesetting

The children's massage mat has a strong orthopedic effect and is therefore useful for a child aged 3-4 years, for whom the absence of anomalies in the formation of bones has been accurately established. Adults under 23-24 years old - no more than once a day to correct and/or improve gait. For completely ossified uncles and aunts - occasionally to relieve severe stress and fatigue. The base of the stacked massage mat is sewn from 2 layers of fabric (the bottom one is made from a coarser technical fabric) with a padding of 5-7 mm padding polyester, except in one case, see below. Materials for active elements, in descending order of effectiveness:

1. Pebbles;
2. Natural cork or products made from pressed cork chips;
3. Soft wood, preferably coniferous;
4. Horse chestnut seeds;
5. Buttons.

However, before you start analyzing them, you need to know the general principles of the arrangement of active materials on the base and their visible structure. Let's take as an example the segments of factory massage mats (see figure on the right), they are all the same color and you can clearly see what is where and how. Active elements take 3-5 size fractions, from 4-5 to 1-1.5 cm. The smaller the element fraction, the more such elements will be required per unit area of ​​the rug. The fragments are placed on the base not completely chaotically. First, large fragments are laid out, approximately around them, following in order of decreasing, etc., so that the virtual (imaginary) covering surface is softly wavy, pos. 1 in Fig. In this way, you can provide a double (for 3 fractions of size from 5 to 2 cm) or triple (for 5 fractions) rhythm of influence.

Correct and irregular surface structure of massage mats

To correct the already discovered rudiments of foot bone anomalies, multiple components of the impact rhythm need to be strengthened. To do this, the largest elements are arranged in rows, but not perfectly uniform and straight. The “disorder” of placement of the elements that are next in degree of grinding is increased so that the smallest ones are located more chaotically by eye, the farther they are from the largest ones. 2. But - remember! – the complete arrangement of active elements at all coarseness levels (item 3) will make the mat not only useless, but also harmful even for children without bone abnormalities. Simply - a massage mat like the one in pos. 3, can ruin the legs of a healthy child.

Pebble

Pebbles by themselves do not play along with the feet, so the base of the pebble massage mat should be made of padding polyester with a thickness of 20 mm or furniture foam rubber grade 35-45 with a thickness of 15-25 mm. In this case, its orthopedic effect will be no worse than that of felt. But its therapeutic effect is simply phenomenal; In the old days they believed in the spirit of stone.

The fact is that smoothly rounded pebbles are formed only from hard rocks that contain quartz and other minerals that have a piezoelectric effect. When you press with your foot, microscopic and micro-powerful electrical discharges occur on the surface of the pebbles, which are completely imperceptible to us, but “reach” to the very cores of the active points better than any medical laser. Moreover, the discharges themselves find active points, because their electrical conductivity is an order of magnitude higher than that of surrounding tissues; this property of active points is used for their electrical search. The same effect is used in hot stone massage, but there microdischarges are caused by thermal deformations of the cooling stone.

Correctly and incorrectly made pebble massage mats

However, the pebbles on the base of the massage mat must be placed with skill. The ideal case is smooth, well rounded, white or gray without conspicuous redness, with noticeable veins of quartz. Pebbles are placed on the base according to the above rules (position 1 in the figure above). By the way, pebbles are laid out naturally on the beach in the same way. So, if you take it from there, take a photo first and arrange it according to the photo. In addition, this method saves up to 15% of material that is by no means easily accessible per unit area of ​​the rug. PVA is glued onto the base of cleanly washed and dried pebbles.

But sort one fraction onto a mat, as in pos. 2, not necessary for the reasons stated above. Then, the color of reddish and yellowish stones may be due to compounds not of iron, but of sulfur, which are not completely harmless. And it will certainly be very bad if black stones are colored this way due to the monazite content in them. Its natural radio background is off the charts: monazite is a uranium ore. Until richer deposits of radionuclides were discovered, monazite sand deposits were actively mined for uranium.

Also, there is no need to place pebbles at large intervals, pos. 3, the orthopedic effect will almost disappear. There is no need to varnish either, the electrical stimulation will disappear. If there is not enough natural material, it is better to fill the gaps with buttons, see below. From replacing pebbles with fragments of facing materials, pos. 4, there will be no orthopedic or therapeutic effect, but poorly rounded angular pebbles, pos. 5, both will give the opposite.

Suberic

Experts came to the medical properties of floor coverings made from natural cork by studying those of wood, as discussed below. Cork also additionally stimulates the active zones, but not with electricity. With what? Thermal radiation of the body itself: cork perfectly reflects infrared (IR) rays. In addition, it irrevocably absorbs much more grease, and when walking the feet are only slightly weaker than felt. Therefore, anyone can use a cork massage mat as much as they want without any contraindications.

Massage mats made of natural cork

A cork massage mat can be simply assembled from wine corks glued with PVA to a base (item 1). True, if you drink so much yourself, then no foot massage will help. You can preserve the orthopedic effect without fiddling with the base by threading the corks with fishing line and collecting them into a mat at intervals, pos. 2. Even better - assemble closely, but changing the orientation of adjacent pairs to perpendicular, pos. 3. If there is not enough material, the corks can be cut into slices of equal thickness (from 1 cm) and sewn to the base with the ends, pos. 3. But sew the cork slices up and across, pos. 5, it is impossible: the orthopedic effect will be harmful, because there will be no proper rhythm.

Wood

Even in those days when acupuncture was considered the machinations of the devil, subject to severe punishment, it was noticed that the sailors of sailing ships were physically stronger, healthier and more durable than the officers, although the latter ate better, were less exposed to deprivation and did not engage in backbreaking labor. One of the reasons for this phenomenon became clear much later - the sailors walked barefoot on wood a lot. Soft wood has all the properties of cork, although to a much lesser extent, and for the sake of economy, the decks and inter-deck ladders of sailing ships were made from cheap coniferous wood.

Wooden massage mats

Wooden massage mats also have their own characteristics. Firstly, they are not suitable for everyone, but only for the categories of users indicated at the beginning of the section. Secondly, wooden massage mats with spikes (item 1 in the figure), which are now sold almost peddled, can only be used after consultation with a doctor and as prescribed. Rugs with large active elements made of soft wood (item 2) are similar to pebble rugs in terms of their overall impact spectrum, but much weaker. It is useful for adults and children aged 4-5 years to stand on a finely fragmented wooden mat made of hardwood (item 4) for a minute or two after bath procedures before stepping on another surface, incl. wooden, this reduces the likelihood of shock to the active points to zero. A rug made of transverse planks of pine, fir or spruce with partial intervals (item 4) is suitable for a child 1-5 years old with normal bones: the child steps first along the solid middle path, and then along the side paths at intervals, this prevents clubfoot in hurry-up people. A rug made of small cuts of hard wood, arranged in a checkerboard pattern at intervals as part of a massage track, is much better than a button link and more affordable than a pebble one.

From chestnuts

A massage mat made from horse chestnut seeds, like mats made from seeds in general, perfectly absorbs grease. Due to the round shape and optimal size of horse chestnut seeds, the orthopedic effect of a massage mat made from them is better than that of a wooden finely typed or buttoned one. A good therapeutic effect is provided by evaporation from fresh seeds: as you know, horse chestnut seeds are successfully used in medicine and cosmetology. A serious drawback of a chestnut rug is that it won’t last until spring. The seed shell will dry out, crack, and tannins will come out, which are more abundant in horse chestnut than in acorns.

Massage mat made from horse chestnut seeds

Making a massage mat from horse chestnuts (item 1 in the figure) is not difficult: take the material, I don’t want it. You can either sew chestnuts onto the base (pos. 2), or do without the base, threading the chestnuts with thread or fishing line, pos. 3. In this case, the rug should lie on a carpet, thick rug, etc. soft floor covering.

Button

Why buttons? Because they are certified for chemical resistance, grease absorption, and mechanical strength. The materials in costume jewelry, cosmetics cases, toiletries and office supplies are (or at least should be) tested for compatibility with the human body, but are not designed to be trampled on. Durable engineering plastics, on the contrary, are not designed for constant contact with unprotected skin.

Incorrectly and correctly made button massage mats

The rules for arranging buttons on the basis of a massage mat are common to the active elements of inlaid mats: there is no need for artistic chaos with overlapping fragments (pos. 1 in the figure), wide spaces between buttons (pos. 2) are also undesirable. You need to place the buttons on the base of the rug like pebbles, pos. 3. But the best option for a massage mat with buttons is a thick base that absorbs grease well, small buttons of the same size on the tracks, and larger and smaller buttons on the base between them, pos. 4.

In any case, both effects of the button rug are at best a 3 with a small plus. Therefore, a massage mat made up of buttons is advisable, firstly, as the last, roughest section of the stuffed one, see above, because here the last section only consolidates the effect obtained in the previous ones. But the best use of buttons in a massage mat is in addition to pebbles. If 3/4 of the area of ​​the rug is filled with buttons evenly distributed between equally distributed pebbles, the overall effect will not be reduced much compared to a pebble rug, but four times less hard-to-reach material will be required. How to make a massage mat from pebbles and buttons, see, for example, next. video clip.

Video: rug for children made of pebbles and buttons

An easy way to make a massage mat from plastic caps

Plastic bottles in the modern world are both “evil” and “useful material”. The bad news is that plastic takes a long time to decompose and landfills are overflowing with it. On the other hand, such properties of the material allow you to create unusual and durable crafts from it. Don’t rush to throw away the plastic bottles you have lying around at home; make something useful for your health out of them – a massage mat for your feet. This craft will be useful not only in the bathroom, but also in the country as a massager after a long day at work.

Useful DIY craft - massage mat

This plastic product is easy to make; even novice craftsmen can easily make a unique and bright rug. You can involve children in this activity; the creative component of the product, creating a drawing, will help them develop spatial thinking and improve their perception of colors. The final product will not only decorate a room or homestead, but will also serve for a long time as a homemade massager.

A massage mat made from plastic bottle caps is designed for relaxation, which means that it will be relevant even next to your favorite chair. Even doctors recommend this massage to improve blood circulation in the feet, and also improve sensitive nerve endings.

How to make a massage mat

Before starting work, you need to prepare the necessary materials, or rather:

• plastic bottle caps (various types and sizes);
• awl or drill (for making holes);
• scissors, ruler;
• fishing line, wire or nylon thread;
• backing: thick fabric, linoleum or old rug.

Depending on the size of the mat, you will need a different number of lids. For a rug with a pattern it is more difficult; you may have to save up a little material. If you are interested in the purely medicinal properties of such a craft, then let’s start making a multi-colored massage mat. To make holes in the lids you need an awl or a thin drill. To make it easier to pierce plastic, preheat the metal part of the awl over the fire; a candle is ideal for this purpose.

Before manufacturing, you need to understand that each rug is created according to a specific shape, most often a hexagon, then a triangle. By combining shapes you can create different shapes, the easiest way is a rectangle.

Let's look at the technique of creating it on the basis of a small mat-stand. As we said earlier, it is based on a hexagon, each of the faces consists of 3 caps, closer to the face the number of caps decreases. Due to the size of the lids there may be a slight error, but for this mat you will need 10-12 lids arranged in a 3+2+2+2+2+1 pattern. For a large rug, the edge of which consists of 10 covers, the following scheme applies: 10+9+9+9+9+8. At first this will seem like complicated arithmetic, but after understanding, further calculations will not bother you.

Having figured out the sizes and shapes, start manufacturing, but first make six holes in all the covers: opposite each other, at an even distance. After this, collect all 12 caps on one fishing line and, according to the diagram presented below, intertwine everything together.

Video lesson: How to make a carpet from caps on a board

Source: www.sdelajsam.org

DIY back massager

It is not difficult to create a device for self-massage of the back from scrap materials at home, even in the complete absence of such skills. You just need to choose a scheme and prepare the necessary “parts” with the tool in advance.

Made of wood

For example, you can try making a back massager with your own hands from wooden parts. The easiest way to assemble such a treatment device is from old office bills.

If you have this rudiment from the past lying around somewhere at home, without which not a single accountant could do without the advent of calculators, feel free to get down to business. True, you will first have to prepare:

• durable nylon cord with a diameter of at least 5 millimeters and no more than 8 millimeters;
• two pieces of durable PVC pipe, the length of which should be equal to the size of the rollers;
• metal axles (can be made of steel wire with a diameter of 3 to 5 millimeters - depends on the size of the internal hole of the “knuckles”);
• tools for disassembling bills and assembling a massager (pliers, pliers, drill, metal file, etc.);
• tape measure or meter.

First, let's determine the length of the homemade device. We simply measure the distance between our arms outstretched to the sides. Then we determine the number of roller axes, which should be located at a distance of 1-2 centimeters from each other, carefully disassemble the abacus and proceed to their manufacture:

• clean and grind electrodes or pieces of steel wire;
• using pliers we form an “eye” at one end of the future axis;
• put on the axle from 4 to 6 dominoes;
• we make an “eye” on the other side of the axis.

For greater efficiency, notches can be made on each “knuckle”. True, the process of turning rollers into stars requires a lot of patience and caution. In addition, upon completion of this work, each “knuckle” will have to be carefully sanded and covered with a protective layer of varnish.

After making all the axes, we move on to direct assembly, as a result of which we should get a homemade massager for the back and other parts of the body with wooden rollers:

• cut a piece of nylon cord, the length of which should be twice the length of the device;
• place a PVC pipe in the middle of the nylon rope to form the first handle;
• we retreat 15-20 centimeters from the handle and connect both ends of the cord with a reliable knot (preferably a double one);
• we string all the axles with rollers onto the rope by the ears;
• we again connect both ends with a reliable knot so that the rollers fit quite tightly to each other;
• put a second PVC pipe on one end of the rope to form a second handle;
• We connect the cord with a secure knot, which we hide in the tube.

If you don’t have old office bills at home, you can make rollers on a lathe from hard wood (oak, maple, birch, etc.). The parts made in this way must be carefully sanded so as not to damage the sensitive skin of the back during use.

That's all. Our homemade massage device, which turned out to be not so difficult to make, is ready for use. Of course, there are other homemade back massage devices. But their manufacture requires special equipment and skills.

From bottles

The previous model of a homemade wooden massager was not the most complex. However, a device for back massage from ten ordinary plastic bottles of the same size, PVC pipes of suitable diameter and size, plastic packaging tape and wide transparent tape is even easier to assemble.

You just need to prepare a well-sharpened knife, a sharp awl and carefully follow each step from the step-by-step instructions:

• carefully cut off the bottom of each bottle, retreating from the bottom edge by 5 centimeters;

• we collect the cut bottoms in pairs, inserting them one into the other so that the cutting line overlaps by at least 1.5 two centimeters;
• additionally fasten the rollers with tape;
• We take an awl in our hands and make four paired holes in the workpieces with a diameter of about one centimeter;
• put a PVC tube in the middle of the plastic tape;
• we form the first handle - we retreat from the middle of the cord 15-20 centimeters from each end and securely connect the tape with a stapler or plastic rivets;

• we string rollers from the bottoms of plastic bottles onto the cord, pushing the ends of the rope into the holes in a parallel manner;
• we connect again - a stapler or rivets - both ends of the tape in such a way as to fix the rollers;
• put another tube on one end of the tape;
• we form a loop for the second handle, securely connecting both ends of the rope with rivets or a stapler at a distance of 15-20 centimeters from the previous fastening;
• we hide the connection point under the tube.

The length of PVC pipes intended for handles should not be less than the size of the rollers.

You can make such a massager from scrap materials within an hour if you have the tools.

Description of the massage mat: benefits

A massage mat is not a toy, but an opportunity to stimulate the child’s body in an easy and relaxed way.

Foot massage increases blood flow and trains the foot muscles.

This device helps:

• Accelerate the functioning of the child’s brain;
• Develop immunity;
• Stimulate the emotional state;
• Maintain cardiac activity;
• Relieve fatigue;
• Develop the vestibular apparatus.

The massage mat helps the formation of the ankle joint, relieves fatigue, and prevents scoliosis and osteochondrosis.

Scientists provide convincing arguments in favor of the fact that foot massage has a positive effect on the condition of the internal organs and on the emotional health of the child.

This is why it is so important to have a massage mat for your child at home.

It is very difficult to create conditions for the baby to be sufficiently active in an apartment, and a massage mat will help the child develop properly.

And some things included

In conclusion, let’s talk about another trick with massage mats for children, which has already been revealed by medical statistics quite a long time ago. Namely: the overall beneficial effect of a massage mat combined with a developmental pillow is stronger than the sum of both used separately. Therefore, if you decide to give your child a massage mat, think about a developmental pillow to go with it. How to make a set of a massage mat and pillow, see the story:

Video: massage mat and pillow

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How and when to use a massage mat at home

Parents need to remember that simply purchasing a mat and placing it in a visible place is not enough. Still, first of all, a rug is a serious therapeutic device. In addition, once the baby stands on an uneven (or even prickly) surface, he will no longer want to touch it.

It is especially necessary if your child has been diagnosed with varus or valgus foot deformity, asymmetrical gait, or flat feet.

Children need to be taught this device gradually, carefully and in the form of play. Try to interest the baby.

To begin, simply place your child on the mat. Let him have the opportunity to “get acquainted” with the accessory, get used to it and understand that there is nothing wrong with unevenness. Give time to “make friends” with the rug.

The mat works great for preventing various diseases.

Then start moving along the surface. In the first years of life, no more than five minutes, and no more than three times a day. Basic exercises: walking at different paces or standing still.

Important! If there are different types of bumps on the surface, then you should walk in one direction: from small to larger bumps.

Forms

The form is selected based on your personal preferences, conditions and capabilities. Circle, square, rectangle or oval - the choice is yours.

An orthopedist should recommend the use of a foot massage mat for a child.

Rectangular or square options are more common.

Size

It can be different: from small (like a bedside rug) to impressive sizes. Some parents prefer to cover the entire space of the nursery with such a rug. And sometimes they make several separate small fragments with a massage surface, and then place them close to each other.

Making a massage mat for children with your own hands

Basic requirements for a rug made by yourself

A DIY rug is a more budget-friendly option than one purchased in a store. If you take into account a number of recommendations, then it will not be inferior in functionality.

An orthopedic rug should not emit unpleasant odors and should dry quickly.

• Eliminate elements with sharp corners. It is important that the child does not experience discomfort when seeing the accessory.
• If the model consists of several fragments with different elements, provide so-called rest areas, that is, soft areas for the legs to rest.
• The size depends not only on the area of ​​the apartment, but also on the age of the child. For a baby, a small square is enough. But an older child will obviously get bored on a small rug. For this, it is worth considering a larger model with different coatings.

When using the mat, your feet should be clean, and the mat itself should be periodically treated with soapy water.

In order to later be able to add or remove fragments, sew Velcro onto the edges of the main fabric and individual sections. Then the accessory will be “new” every day.

With buttons

For this model, prepare buttons (as many as possible), thick fabric for the base, thinner fabric and a needle and thread.

For the base, you can use a sheet of hard felt or other dense material.

Buttons in random order, alternating large and small, are sewn onto the fabric with strong threads. Then the fabric with buttons is connected to a dense base. The finished canvas is trimmed with a border.

If desired, the buttons are arranged in different shapes. For example, you can make a sun, a cloud and butterflies out of buttons.

You can put a plastic insert inside and cover it with any material.

Orthopedic

To make an orthopedic model with your own hands, you will need many different elements: plugs, lids, bulky braid, a washcloth and everything you have at hand.

The more varied the texture of the elements, the greater the effect can be achieved.

Sand

To make this rug at home, you need thick fabric (linen, coarse cotton, denim), from which large flat pockets are sewn. Their sizes and numbers are arbitrary. Appliques in different styles are created on the pockets.

This will make the model more positive and enjoyable to work with.

The pockets are filled with different cereals, but in such a way that there is free space. Then the pockets are sewn up and connected to each other.

Railway

Your little son will certainly appreciate this massage attribute. After all, exercises on such a mat are not only good for health, but also very entertaining.

Buttons, voluminous cord and pieces of textured fabric are also sewn on. Then the individual fragments are connected.

To make it, various elements are sewn onto separate fragments of dense fabric, including two wide elastic bands attached in parallel, into which “sleepers” - wooden cylinders - are then inserted.

From pebbles

Perhaps the simplest option: pebbles are glued onto a dense base. First you need to check the surface of the stones to ensure there are no sharp or protruding corners. The shape and pattern of the rug are chosen based on your preferences and available materials.

You can decorate the rug in different ways, depending on your imagination, but the funnier the rug is, the easier it is to attract your child to play on it.

Textile massage mats

Variations are possible here. For example, a massage attribute, assembled from many small “bags” with filler.

Children usually enjoy studying on such rugs.

You can assemble the model in the form of a hopscotch game. Make fragments of textiles and fill them and arrange them in a certain order.

Combined massage mats

The name speaks for itself. These rugs combine even the most incongruous things. They are made from everything that comes to hand: buttons, rings for bathroom curtains, zippers, decorative elements of various shapes, dishcloths, braid and much more.

By exercising with a child from an early age on a massage mat, you can avoid many health problems.

By making such an accessory with your own hands, you not only prepare a fitness machine, but also create space for games and development.