Thai foot massage is the treatment I went back to Bangkok for separately, in July 2011. It is more than a massage of the feet: I work downwards from the knee, along the calf and the ankle, and only then on the sole itself. Women who have had it once often book it again, even when nothing else is troubling them.
What I use
Besides my hands I work with Thai oil or cream and with a small wooden stick. The stick looks sterner than it feels: it lets me press precisely on one small point without having to plough a thumb across the whole sole. You set the pressure, as with all my treatments.
The reflex zones
In the Thai tradition every area of the sole belongs to a part of the body. I work through those areas systematically, from the heel to the toes, and stay longer wherever it is tender. A point being sore says nothing definite about the organ behind it, but it does show me where more attention is needed.
Who enjoys it
Women who stand all day come for this, and women who sit all day just as often. Heavy, tight calves after a long working day, feet that have spent hours in shoes that were too narrow, legs that will not settle after a run: this massage does something visible about that. You keep your clothes on and only the trouser legs go up, so it is also a comfortable first introduction if a full body massage feels like a big step.
What to keep in mind
With varicose veins, cuts, fungal infection or a fresh injury to the foot or lower leg I will not do it, or I work only around the spot. I do not give massage during pregnancy. Do also tell me if you have diabetes, because sensation in the feet is less reliable then and I keep the pressure lower. There is more on this under medical points to consider.
Making an appointment
Call 030 877 6157 or send the contact form. The studio in Vleuten is open until 8 pm on weekdays. If you would like to combine the foot massage with a traditional Thai massage or an oil massage, say so when you book and I will set aside more time.