Feet Massage Treatments Overview



Most people really enjoy having their feet massaged. That’s no surprise, because a good foot massage feels great; so good, in fact, that your whole session could begin and end there. Entire books have been written about the subject of massaging the feet. (The alternative medical field of reflexology is based on the belief that areas on the foot correspond to areas of the body, and that manipulating areas of the feet can have beneficial health effects.) And hour-long foot massages are not uncommon in the spa world.

Before you begin, make sure your hands and your subject’s feet are clean. (You may want to skip this portion of the massage if your subject has athlete’s foot or another fungus, because it’s easy to spread it to other parts of his or her body—or even to end up with it yourself.) If you subject has arthritis, bunions, corns, or calluses, or if his or her toes are misshapen for any reason, be very gentle and careful. Avoid handling ingrown toenails, as they can be quite painful. If your subject’s feet are ticklish, slow down and massage more deeply; that usually eliminates the problem.

Finally, if you’re not comfortable massaging feet for any reason, just give your subject’s a few squeezes through the sheet and move on to the next body part. CAUTION Avoid massaging your subject’s foot if she’s suffering from an injury or condition such as plantar fasciitis or bone spurs.

Unless performed by a qualified physical or massage therapist, working the fascia and muscles of the feet can actually exacerbate injuries. When in doubt, leave it to the pros. If you haven’t already placed a bolster under your subject’s ankles, do so before you start the foot massage. Warm some oil between your hands and then start by pulling one of your subject’s feet, hand over hand as if you were pulling a rope. Next, make a soft fist, and then rub the flat part of your knuckles along the bottom of each foot. As long as your subject’s ankles are supported by the bolster, you can use fairly firm pressure. (Ask your subject to let you know if you’re using too much.) Most of mobile massage London salons work like this.

Now, run your thumb along the bottom of the foot, from the heel to the end of each of your subject’s toes. (Make sure to support your thumb with the rest of your hand). When you reach the end of each toe, press down on its padding; it feels really good. Place one hand on each side of one of your subject’s feet and rub vigorously back and forth. You’re not pulling the foot; rather, you’re rubbing the foot between your hands, as if you were trying to warm it up. Start at your subject’s ankles and work your way down to the toes.
Locația: London, UK

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