Restoration – Foot Care

Start by soaking your feet in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes. You may add scented oil if desired. This will help clean and warm the feet and provide aromatherapy if scented oil was added to the water. Dry your feet with a warm towel.

Lay or sit back and start to relax. The feet and legs should be supported by a surface (massage table, sofa or bed) or by the person giving the foot massage. Massage one foot at a time. Keep the other foot wrapped in a towel to keep the foot warm.

You may use oil or lotion for the foot massage. Run warm water over your hands to warm them before beginning the foot massage. Rub the oil or lotion over the entire foot to above the ankle.

You want to warm up the foot by doing some basic stretches. Gently stretch the foot up and down and around in circles. One hand should be cupping and supporting the heel and one hand should be moving the foot at the ankle joint.

Place the foot back down onto the supporting surface. Now squeeze the foot with both hands starting at the toes and work your way up to above the ankles and back down. One hand should be grasping the inside of the foot and one hand the outside of the foot.

Instead of squeezing, you are now going to use both hands and twist the foot in opposite directions starting at the toes and working up to the ankles and back down. One hand should be on the inside of the foot and one hand on the outside of the foot.

The foot should be warmed up and now it is time to do strokes. Use the fingers of both hands to do strokes on the top of the foot and use your thumbs to do strokes on the bottom of the foot. Again, start at the toes and work up to the ankles and back down.

Next, turn your focus toward the toes. Find the areas where the bases of your toes bend (metatarsalphalangeal joints), with your fingers on top of the foot and your thumb on the bottom, make circular motions at these areas for toes 1 through 5.

Starting with toe number five (little toe), use your index and middle finger on top of the toe and your thumb on the bottom and start at the base of the toe and massage to the tip of the toe then make a circle with the toe.

Continue with the toes by running your four fingers of one hand into the four interspaces of the toes. You can start from the top of the foot or the bottom. Do several gentle back and forth movements.

Now, you should focus on the bottom of the foot. Start with your thumbs and make circular motions, then do strokes both up and down and side to side.

For a little more pressure, you can use your knuckles and knead the bottom of the foot.

Finish the foot massage by doing light strokes with your fingers on top of the foot and your thumbs on the bottom of the foot and starting at the toes and working up above the ankles.