How to Give a Back Rub

A good back rub does more than just make a person feel good. It can ease tense muscles and relieve stress. Giving a back rub isn’t hard to do, but if you want to give a good back rub, then you need to do a little more than just lightly moving your hands over the back. Follow these tips, and the recipient of your back rub might feel grateful enough to give you one in return.

Things You'll Need

• Oil

Instructions

1. Place the bottle of oil in hot water for about 10 minutes to warm it up just a bit. The oil will feel better warm on the person’s back than it will poured on cool.

2. Pour a small amount on the person’s back. Gently spread the oil across the back and shoulders. Using oil on the area you are rubbing helps your hands to slide across the skin without pinching. Add more oil as needed.

3. Press the heels of your hands on the bottom of the back, and firmly but gently rub upwards in short movements. Do this all the way up to the base of the neck, and then work your way back down again.

4. Gently press on either side of the bottom of the spine Using both of your thumbs. Rub up until you reach the neck.

5. Knead with your hands across the shoulders, working your way down to the bottom of the back. By this time, you will probably hear sighs of contentment, and you can take it as a sign of a job well done.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use baby or mineral oil, whatever is your preference. You can even use a warming massage oil. They make these in many different edible and non-edible flavors and scents. Whatever you use, it needs to help lubricate your hands so they glide easily over the surface of the back. There are many other techniques that you can use. Such as rubbing your knuckles over the back or just using firm circular motions.

• You can heat your oil up directly in a pan on the stove. Be very careful when doing this, though, as you can easily burn the person’s back. Never get too rough when giving a back rub, as you can hurt the person receiving the rub. The idea of a back rub is loosen tense muscles, not tighten them up more in pain.