Hand massages can be done by a professional massage therapist or anyone who has the time to give you one. If you cannot afford to pay for a professional or ask someone to give you a massage, then do it yourself. The basic techniques one must remember in administering a hand massage are (1) stroking, (2) rubbing, (3) kneading and (4) oscillation. Stroking warms up the hand muscles and is done during the beginning and end of the massage session. Rubbing involves the stretching of the skin together with the fats and muscles of course with the help of another hand. Kneading is the squeezing movement of the skin, fats and muscles which stimulate blood circulation and affect muscle tone. Lastly, oscillation is the vibrating movement from the hands to the other parts of the body. To make it simpler, here are is a step-by-step guide in giving a hand massage:
Step #1: Start off the massage by applying massage oil in the person’s palm. Spread small amounts in the palm area through the stroking of your fingers. This warms up your hand for a deeper hand massage.
Step #2: Face the palm up and support the back of the person’s hand through both of your hands. Then, using your thumb, massage the palm from the middle line then going out.
Step #3: After massaging the palm, focus your attention on the fingers. Take each finger and move it up, down, left, then right. Then move each finger in a circular motion in both directions. While doing so, you can apply pressure to each finger by somehow pinching them using your fingers. This is good for blood flow.
Step #4: Turn the hand around and start massaging the back of the hand. Apply small amount of oil into the skin through stroking, feeling the four metacarpal bones of the hand. Do the same process for the other hand.
Foot massages can be the same as hand massages, but it has a surface area which needs extra care and treatment. A lot of foot massages are done by reflexologists, following the pressure points which correspond to a certain part or organ of the body.
When done by ordinary people, they can follow the basic techniques in giving a foot massage: (1) rubbing, (2) thumb walking, (3) toe rotation, (4) kneading, and (5) cupping. Rubbing begins the massage session and warms up feet, just like in the hand massage. Thumb walking, as the name says, is done by walking your thumb through the feet from the sole up or vice versa, applying pressure to the foot. Toe rotation is moving each toe in all directions to increase flexibility and encourage blood flow. Kneading is done through large pressing and rotating movement of your fist on the person’s foot, from the sole then up.
Cupping is squeezing the foot with your hands and applying just the right amount of pressure to it.
Same steps can be applied for a foot massage. However, soaking the feet in warm water for a few minutes or using a heating pad would be the first step in a foot massage, as doing these things would warm up the foot muscles. After the warm up, spread the massage oil on the person’s foot starting from the sole, in circular motions, then going up. Next, massage each toe by twisting it like in a hand massage. After which, pinch along the outside edges of the feet and apply pressure to it.
Lastly, move the whole foot up, down, left, right, and in circular motions. Do the same to the other foot.
