How to Massage Knees and Thighs

At the end of the day, most people are in the mood for a good leg massage. Whether it's to relieve aches and pains after too much standing, or to stimulate the lymphatic system, a good leg massage can do wonders for everything from increasing circulation to preventing cellulite.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Ensure that your recipient is relaxed and comfortable. Remember that you'll be massaging a sensitive area and for the thighs, a potentially private one. If it wouldn't make a mess, rub a small amount of oil or cream onto the palms of your hands, making sure to keep your hands warm to the touch.

2. Gently, knead the front thigh from just below the hip, down to the knee. Try using both your thumbs, and the flat of your knuckles. Alternate your hands, rhythmically squeezing and releasing the quadriceps and hamstrings. Work on each muscle group with thumb rotations, in search of knots.

3. Move on to the knee. Gently, stroke the area around the knee itself. Then, even more gently, move the patella of the knee: first from side to side for a few times and then up and down. Locate the tendons below and to the side of the knee, and massage them gently with your fingertps. Do the same for the tendons just above the knee.

4. Making your way down the leg from the knee, massage the calf and tibia muscles with both hands. Softly, squeeze the muscle away from the bone. Sooth the area with gently stroking.

5. Repeat for the opposite leg.