A foot massage is a great way to pamper someone special and help them unwind after a long day. As an added benefit, foot massages can also help to treat issues like headaches, insomnia, and stress. Start by massaging the tops of the feet as well as the heels, soles, toes. You can do deeper massage moves on the ankles, soles, and pressure points to release any tension and create a positive massage experience for the person.

1.Rub the top of the foot with your thumbs. Start at the tip of the toe and move slowly up to their ankle. Move back down their foot, starting from their ankle. Apply firm pressure with your thumbs, cupping their foot in your hands.

• Move up and down their foot two to three times. Keep their foot close to your chest area, with your body leaning towards them. This will help you apply the right amount of pressure to their foot.
• Make sure you use the strength of your body weight, rather than the muscles in your thumbs, to massage their feet. Using only the muscles in your thumbs can cause them to cramp up and get tired easily.

2.Massage the arches of the foot. Use your thumbs to apply light pressure to the arch of their foot, right below the ball of their foot. Move one thumb clockwise and the other thumb counterclockwise in small circles. Do this for at least 30 seconds.

• Place your thumbs on opposite ends of their foot and move them toward one another. Do this at least three to five times, moving up and down the bottom of their feet.
• Make sure you are gripping their feet firmly and with some pressure as you massage them. Light, soft touches can be ticklish to most people and distract from the massage.
• If the person has any sore spots on their feet, do not put too much pressure on them as this can irritate the area.

3.Rub the heels of the foot. Move your thumbs up and down their Achilles tendon, which runs from the heel and ankle up to the calf muscle. Rub the heel of their foot in circular motions using your thumbs.

• You may need to lift their foot up with one hand so you can access their heel.
• The skin on this area tends to be dry or hard, so you can apply massage oil or lotion to your hands to help reduce any friction.

4.Squeeze and pull each toe. Hold their foot with one hand, right under the arch. With your other hand, place your thumb on top of their big toe. Your index finger should be underneath their big toe. Rotate the toe slightly to one side and pull the toe from top to bottom. Go back to the top of the toe and squeeze it with your thumb and pointer finger. Do this for each toe to help loosen and relax them.

• Do not yank on the person’s toes, as this can injure them. Instead, simply rotate, pull, and squeeze each toe slightly, applying even pressure.

5.Slide up and down each toe with your fingers. Hold the foot with one hand, right behind the heel. Place the index finger of your other hand between the person’s toes. Slide your finger toward the base of the toes and then back toward the end of the toes. Do this two to three times between their toes.

• Make sure you use your body weight to apply even pressure as you slide up and down their toes.

6.Focus on one foot at a time. Leave the other foot soaking in warm water or relaxed on the pillow. Do a basic massage on one foot first and then turn your attention to the other foot. Repeat the same movements for each foot so that they both feel equally relaxed.