How To Give A Stress Relieving Foot Massage

Use our easy to follow guide to learn the basic techniques for a foot massage. Why not surprise that someone special in your life with these easy to learn foot massage skills?

Step 1: You will need

1 Pillow or cushion 1 Towel Cosmetic alcohol 1 Cotton Oil 1 Stool 1 Volunteer

1. Step 2: Setting Up

   Prior to starting, it is a good idea to allow your volunteer to wash and dry their feet. This is a very relaxing massage, so you should try to find a quiet area where you will not be disturbed. You can help set the mood for relaxation by putting on some soft music and lighting some candles. The ideal location is somewhere the person can lie down comfortably, like a massage table, bed or sofa, and their feet can extend slightly over the edge. The pillow is placed under the knees to help support the low back, while we use the towel underneath the feet to catch any excess oil.
   Position yourself at their feet, with the toes at about chest level.
   
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2. Step 3: Getting started

   Do a visual check of the feet for any open cuts, bandages, or possible Athlete's Foot, as these are all reasons not to do the massage.
3. Apply some alcohol to the cotton and wipe down both feet thoroughly.
4. Place a small quantity of oil in a cupped hand and warm it by rubbing it between both hands. Spread the oil over the foot up to the ankle by using light even strokes.

5. Step 4: Warm up

   Taking the foot in both hands, we begin doing twists by pulling toward ourselves with the heel of one hand while gently pushing away with the other. Start at the top near the toes and work your way down to the heel then back up again.
6. Repeat 3 Times
7. Place the outside hand on the topside of the foot for support, and extend the second knuckle of the index finger of the other hand. Now sandwich the foot between the two hands, while rotating the knuckle by turning the wrist. Move the knuckle down and repeat. Carry on over the entire sole of the foot.

8. Step 5: Thumb work

   Place the fingers of both hands on the topside of the foot, and starting at the pads of the toes, begin making downward strokes with the thumbs. After finishing the toes, move down to the ball of the foot, then the arch, and finally the bottom of the heel.
   Now return to the arch and make circles with the thumbs with moderate pressure.
9. Once more with the outside hand supporting the topside of the foot, we now take the thumb of the other hand and begin doing pressure points down the instep, starting at knuckle of the big toe. Release the pressure, move down slightly and repeat. Carry on until you reach the back of the heel.
10. Now the outside hand moves to support the foot from underneath the ankle. With our other hand we will grasp the Achilles' tendon between thumb and index finger and stroke towards the heel. Repeat this 5 times.

11. Step 6: Top and sides

    Both hands now open and support the foot from below with the fingers extended we begin to make circles around the ankles, again using a moderate pressure.
12. Without breaking the rhythm of our circling, the fingers start to move around the sides of the foot and continue up to the toes.
13. At this point, the circling becomes a back and forth movement as we massage the top of the foot, focusing between the tendons.
14. Carry on for about a minute.

15. Step 7: Toe Massage

    Finishing at the base of the toes, we will now begin to slowly tug, twist and pull on each toe, alternating hands as we move inwards from the outer toes.

16. Step 8: Finishing strokes

    We end by repeating the foot twists, but this time we slowly begin to lighten pressure with each twist until the hands lightly lift off the foot.

17. Step 9: Repeat on the other foot

    Once again place some oil in your cupped hand and repeat the steps on the other foot.