An idiom meaning one misfortune after another; to suffer multiple setbacks (adding insult to injury).
彼は会社をクビになり、家の修理代もかかって踏んだり蹴ったりだ。
He was fired and had to pay for house repairs — truly one misfortune after another.
旅行中に風邪を引き、さらに財布をなくして踏んだり蹴ったりの思いをした。
During the trip he caught a cold and then lost his wallet — a string of misfortunes.
試合に負けた上に怪我までして、まさに踏んだり蹴ったりだった。
He lost the match and on top of that got injured — truly a case of one thing after another going wrong.