Many couples have to arrange to put regular time aside to spend with each other, such is the relentlessness and fast paced nature of today's society. Some couples choose to spend their time doing something outdoors, such as having a meal, while others just like to relax at home together. An excellent way to spend some caring and quality time with your partner is by performing a foot massage on them.
Not only does it help on a physical level to relax and reinvigorate the feet, but it helps to maintain a close bond between your partner and you. Learning to give a great foot massage takes a little time to perfect, but it can be fun practicing and learning at the same time. Let's look at how to learn the basics of a foot massage:
Begin Massaging
Lie your partner on their back, and put a rolled up towel under the heel of one foot. Face your partner and hold the foot; begin at the top of the foot and use your thumb to rub and lightly press down on the foot as you work down towards the bottom.
Work around towards the sole of the foot; apply ever increasing pressure with your thumb until you get to the sole. Reverse this, working your way back up to the top of the foot, lessening the pressure as you go.
Massage The Sole
Turn your partner so their back is now facing the ceiling. Take the foot, which will now be reversed, and position your hands so that your two thumbs meet at the arch of the foot. Begin to make small circles with both of your thumbs, and work towards the edges of the foot, as well as the top and bottom. Keep applying pressure as you rub with your thumbs.
Don't forget The Ankle
Flip your partner back over and begin to massage the point of the ankle where the bone is. Straighten and tense the fingers of each hand, and start to make small circular motions on either side of the bone area. Apply a little more pressure as you rub.
Finish With The Fist
A good way to finish off the massage is to clench your fist, place it under the sole of the foot so that it is touching the skin, and then knead your fist back and forth over the sole of the foot. Once you've done this a few times, you are finished. When you have a little more confidence, you may like to add creams or oils into the massage.
You can look into different techniques and rubs, and then add them into your massage routine. To learn more, contact a company like Massage World - Sydney with any questions or concerns you have.
Share21 May 2015
Before I had my kids, I pictured that I would be much more relaxed staying at home and looking after my kids. I thought that the shoulder twinges and neck strains from sitting at a desk would go away, but little did I know they'd be quickly replaced by lower back pain from leaning over cleaning up and hip pains from carrying kids all day long - let alone recovering from birth. These days I have done a lot of research on how to look after my body and mind with massage treatments, which I collect on this site to share with other new mums.