How to Get Your Foot to Wake Up When It Falls Asleep

The medical term for your foot falling asleep is parenthesia. It is a burning, numb, itchy or prickling feeling that is sometimes felt in your hands, arms, legs or feet. The "pins and needles" feeling of temporary paresthesia is something most people have experienced after they have knelt too long sitting on their feet or after they have been sitting with their legs crossed. The strange feelings occur after a nerve has beein under sustained pressure. Temporary paresthesia dissipates quickly when the pressure is removed and circulation is restored to the area.

Instructions

• 1

  Make the dog move if it is lying on your leg and compressing the nerve.

  Remove any weight that may be causing compression on the nerve. Uncross your legs or ankles, straighten up from a kneeling position or make the dog move off your leg.

• 2

  Place your feet flat on the floor.

• 3

  Wiggle your toes as you begin to get circulation back into your foot. Muscle movement will increase circulation to the area. The "pins and needles" feeling may intensify briefly as the nerve decompresses.

• 4

  Rotate your ankles and move your feet around as the circulation begins to return.

• 5

  When normal sensation has returned to your foot, stand up and walk around to increase circulation to the area even more.