How to Massage the Feet

Each of your feet has more than 100 muscles in it and thousands of nerve endings. There are few better ways to relax at the end of a long, busy day than to massage the feet. Here’s one way of doing so, deeply and effectively.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Massage oil

1. Ask your partner to lie down on her back, legs stretched out straight but relaxed, arms lying loosely at her sides, slightly away from the body, and eyes closed.

2. Move to face your partner’s feet. Place both hands lightly on top of the feet. Hold them there for a few moments--an "energy balancing" to prepare both of you for the massage.

3. Pour some massage oil in your hand, being careful not to let any drip onto your partner’s skin. Rub your hands together to warm the oil.

4. Start to massage the feet by placing both hands flat on top of one foot, close to the toes. Gently but firmly slide your hands up and over the foot toward the ankle. When you get to the ankle, move your hands to the back of the foot over the Achilles tendon, over the heels, over the soles and out through the toes. When your fingers are moving up the length of the sole, keep your thumbs on top to hold onto the foot. Repeat this motion several times.

5. Hold the foot in your hands, close to the toes. Your fingers should be wrapped around to touch the soles of the foot, with your thumbs and heels of your hands on top. Gently but firmly knead your way toward the ankle. Repeat this motion several times.

6. Hold the top of the foot with one hand and make a fist with the other. Starting at the base of the heel, use the flat part of your knuckles to gently but firmly slide up the arch of the foot toward the toes. When you reach the toes, retrace the motion in the opposite direction. Repeat several times.

7. Hold the Achilles tendon with one hand, and place the heel of your other hand into the sole of the foot, kneading it up and down and in circular motions. Repeat this motion several times.

8. Hold the foot with one hand and use the other hand to pull on the toes. One at a time, place each toe between your forefinger and thumb. Start at the base of the toe and gently but firmly pull your fingers up the length of the toe and out through the tip. Repeat this motion several times on each toe.

9. Lightly use your fingertips to end the massage. Start at the ankle and feather your fingers down the foot out through the toes. Repeat this motion several times.

10. Repeat steps 3 through 9 on the other foot.

Tips & Warnings

• Though the best way to fully relax for a massage is to lie down, you can massage the feet of your partner if he’s in a seated or reclining position.
• You can make your own relaxing oil to massage the feet by combining a carrier oil--like grapeseed, sunflower or safflower--with a few drops of lavender essential oil.

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