A foot massage can soothe tired feet following a long day or serve as a healthy way to relieve stress. Other benefits include improving your circulation, lessening tension, reducing pain or stimulating your muscles, which can provide long-lasting results. Best of all, a foot massage is an inexpensive and easy way to experience relaxation.
Step 1
Fill a basin with warm water and add drops of essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint. Soak the feet for at least 10 to 15 minutes to make the skin soft and supple.
Step 2
Dry off your subject's feet with a towel, then place them on a comfortable area, such as an ottoman or bench to enable you to easily reach them. Propping a pillow behind your subject's back to make her more comfortable is a great way to enhance the experience.
Step 3
Apply lotion or oil to your hands to make kneading the skin more easily accomplished. Take one foot in your hand, then slowly run your hands up and down the foot to warm it.
Step 4
Support the heel of the foot in one hand by cupping it with your hand, then hold the toes in your other. Moving through each toe, squeeze, stretch or then gently flex and point each toe.
Step 5
Move your thumb to the sole of the foot, and use hard pressure in a circular motion in order to soothe the sole of the foot. Pay special attention to the foot's arches as this is where a lot of the foot pressure resides.
Step 6
Taking away the hand that support your heel, hold the toes up with one hand, then use your knuckles to knead the foot from the area under the toes all the way to the heel. This mimics the action of a soothing foot roller.
Step 7
Use both hands to press your fingers into the skin of the entire foot. As a finishing maneuver, thread your hands through the toes, and circle the foot one way five times, then reverse and circle the opposite way.
Tips and Warnings
- If your hands begin to feel dry during the massage, apply more lotion to ensure they can move more easily over the feet.
Things You'll Need
- Basin filled with warm water
- Towel
- Lotion or oil
- Essential oils, such as lavender
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