When getting a massage, the upper and lower parts of the body are always worked on. The hands, however, are typically ignored. This is a big mistake because the hand is probably the most overworked parts of the body. No matter what the nature of your job is, you are bound to use your hands. If you’re working from nine to five behind a desk, you’ll use your hands to type on keyboards. If you’re a manual laborer, you will use your hands to perform almost all of your tasks. Musicians, painters, athletes and almost all the other jobs that people hold require the use of the hands.
Aside from being overlooked during massage sessions, the hands are also the least pampered. This part of the body has very little fat and is prone to ageing or wrinkling, so if you don’t moisturize regularly, you are bound to have old-looking hands. The good news is that you can always give your hands the treatment that they deserve through a hand massage. Together with your partner, study the basic techniques of giving a hand massage so that you can get and receive one. Using lotion or oil to moisturize the back of your hand, those kneading, stroking and rubbing motions will soothe the tired muscles of this part of the body, and make them ready for another day of work.
How to Give a Basic Hand Massage
Let’s say that you would like to give a massage to a loved one. What are the basic strokes that you need to learn about? Take a look at a few tips on how to soothe and stroke the muscles of the hands using these proper massage techniques:
- Massage the fingers.
First, massage the fingers. As fragile and bony as they are, the fingers do most of the work when you are doing something with your hands. To start the massage, hold the palm down using one hand. Use your other hand to work on each finger separately, stroking from the tip of the fingers to the knuckle. Squeeze all over the finger and use circular motions around each joint. Close your hand to make a fist and grip a finger between two of yours. Stretch, don’t jerk and move on to massaging the thumb. Use firm but gentle pressure on the thumb, and also massage the muscular area at the base.
- Stroke the palms.
Second, hold the palm up, then stroke the surface with the heel of your hand. Continue using pushing motions towards the wrist, then gently glide back.
- Stretch the hand.
With your palm up, interlock your fingers with the hand, then open and stretch the palm of the person you’re massaging. Continue to stretch the palm, use fanning movements for each stroke, then make circular motions all over. Use firm instead of gentle motions.
- Stroke between the tendons.
Turn the hand over and use your own fingers as support. Stroke between the tendons, starting between the knuckles then working your way towards the wrist.
- Finishing up your hand massage.
Finish the massage by turning it over and sandwiching it between your palms. Press together firmly, then release the pressure and slide your hand slowly off the fingers. The hand should be relaxed, and you can repeat the same set of steps for the other hand.
With a basic hand massage, you can offer anybody a soothing, relaxing time without having to do a full-on body work-up.