Home Foot Massage

There is nothing more pleasurable in the world than receiving a good foot massage. We are on our feet all day, and yet they are the most neglected parts of our whole body! Not only do foot massages feel really good and help you relieve stress, they are also a very loving and personal gesture. If you really want to do something meaningful for your significant other, give them a good, long foot rub.

You may decide to opt for an electric foot massager or a foot massage machine, and while those do feel nice, they will never compare to a foot massage given with a person’s hands. Electric foot massagers will never be able to replace the feel of the human touch.

Many people say they don’t know how to give a foot massage, but it is actually very easy. Before you start giving the foot massage itself, there are a few things you can do before to set the mood. These may seem like trivial things, but these subtleties will make a big difference!

Your number one priority should be that the person is completely at ease. To do this you can do a number of things. A few options are dimming the lights, playing some relaxing music, and burning incense. This is why a home foot massage is so nice; you have total control of the environment. It’s also a good idea to clean their feet before getting started. The best way is to soak their feet in warm water and sea salts for about ten minutes. You can also add some aroma oils or lemon juice to the water as well.

If you don’t have time or don’t have a container for them to dip their feet, using a wet cloth to clean their feet will work just as well. If you feel funny about telling someone that you want their feet clean for the massage, just tell them it is an important part of the process. They’ll understand.

Once their feet are completely dry, have them lie flat on their back with their feet pointing up. Start off by giving their feet a good basic stretch. Hold the heel with one hand and pull the foot toward you with the other. Next, hold the heel with one hand and push the balls of the feet toward the person with the other. Once their feet are nice and stretched, rub either oil, lotions, or other nail care products all over each foot, in long, gliding motions. Once you are finished adding whichever ointment, you are ready to begin with the foot massage techniques!

At this point it’s really easy to give a good foot massage (because the mood is already set): just spend five to ten minutes doing each one of the following techniques, and you will have given a fantastic foot massage!

Also remember that these are all just basic techniques. Be creative! You can make a foot massage as personal and unique as you want, and hopefully the following methods will give you other ideas as well.

Treat the foot as if it were a gift!

Basic foot massage techniques:

Stroking / Long Rubbing

This is one of the best techniques to start with. Take the foot in your hands, and stroke the foot upward towards the toes. When one hand is reaching the top of the foot, the other should be starting again along the bottom. A good way to think about it is to pretend you are pulling a rope, but letting it slide between your fingers.

Kneading

This foot massage technique is where you press your fist into the bottom of someone’s foot, along the arch. Then just roll your fist up and down, while applying medium pressure. You can also slide your fist upward toward the toes, and then go back to the bottom and repeat.

Ankle Rotations

This is one of the easiest foot massage techniques to do, and also feels amazing. All you do is hold the heel with one hand, and grip the end of the foot with the other (by the balls of the foot). Then just rotate in one direction five to ten times, and then rotate in the other direction the same number of times.

Thumbwalking

With this foot massage technique, grab the foot the way you would grab a book, with your thumbs pressed against the bottom of the foot. Now press your thumbs along the bottom of the foot as if they were walking up and down, applying medium pressure with each “step.” You can also rub your thumbs into the foot in circular motions.

Toe rotations, squeezes, and pulls

This one really explains itself. Just remember not to forget the toes; simply rotating each toe gently a few times around feels really good.

That’s all there is to giving a great home foot massage! Just treat the foot with tender love and care, and you can’t go wrong!