Table of Contents
The short answer
A foot massage treats the foot as what it is: a set of small muscles, joints and tendons that have carried you all day. The therapist uses oil or cream and works with strokes, kneading and stretches wherever the foot feels tight. Reflexology treats the foot as a map. The therapist works through a fixed pattern of points with the thumbs and fingers, following a traditional chart on which each part of the foot stands for another part of the body.
On the receiving end the two overlap more than the names suggest. Both are firm, methodical pressure on the feet, both are given while you sit back fully dressed, and most people find both deeply relaxing. The real difference is in method and intention. A foot massage follows the tension. Reflexology follows the chart.
The foot reflexology session that IHR Dream Cleaning brings to homes in Abu Dhabi combines the two: massage of the feet and lower legs with pressure on the reflex points, for 30 to 60 minutes, at a pressure adjusted for comfort. It is meant for tired feet and legs after long periods of standing. Neither a foot massage nor reflexology diagnoses or treats a health problem, and this guide claims nothing of the kind for either.
What a foot massage involves
A foot massage is ordinary massage technique applied to a small area. It usually begins with the whole foot held and warmed between both hands, and then moves through a handful of strokes.
- Long gliding strokes from the toes to the ankle and up the shin, with oil or cream, to warm the skin and the muscle underneath.
- Kneading of the arch with the thumbs or knuckles, where the muscles that support the foot are thickest.
- Small circles around the ankle bones and along the top of the foot, between the long bones that run to the toes.
- Squeezing and rolling of the heel, which takes the first impact of every step.
- A gentle pull and turn of each toe, and a slow circling of the ankle in both directions.
- Kneading and long strokes up the calf, because the muscles that move the foot sit in the lower leg.
What guides the session
The therapist goes where the foot needs it. If the arch is tight, more time is spent there. If the calf is what aches, the session moves up the leg. There is no chart to complete, and no two sessions are quite the same. The pressure is usually medium, with firmer work if you ask for it.
What reflexology involves
Reflexology is more structured. The therapist works on one foot at a time, often with the other wrapped in a towel to keep it warm, and covers the whole foot in a set order so that no part of the chart is missed. Little or no oil is used, because the technique depends on the thumb gripping the skin instead of sliding over it.
The characteristic movement is called thumb-walking. The thumb bends and straightens in tiny steps, creeping forward a few millimetres at a time, so that it presses on a line of points one after another. The fingers do the same on the top of the foot and around the ankle. Where a point feels tender or tight, the therapist may hold still on it for a few seconds, or make small circles, before moving on. A session often opens and closes with a few minutes of plain massage to relax the foot.
The map of points, and what it is
A reflexology chart divides the sole into regions. In the usual version the toes stand for the head and neck, the ball of the foot for the chest, the arch for the abdomen and the heel for the pelvis and lower back, with the inner edge of the foot standing for the spine. The right foot is said to correspond to the right side of the body and the left foot to the left.
This is a traditional way of organising a session. Pressing the feet for comfort is very old and is found in many cultures, and the charts in use today were drawn up in the twentieth century. The chart is a tradition, not an anatomical diagram, and it is not a way of finding or treating illness.
So treat the map as the therapist's route round the foot, and judge the session by how your feet feel during it and afterwards.
What a tender point means
Almost everyone has a few spots on the feet that feel tender under firm pressure. The arch, the edge of the heel and the pad behind the big toe are the usual ones. A tender spot tells you that the tissue there is tight or tired, which is hardly surprising in a part of the body that spends the day inside a shoe. It tells you nothing about your stomach, your kidneys or your sinuses.
Our pages say that the therapist checks the pressure on each part of the foot and tells you afterwards which areas felt most tense. That is a description of your feet, not a finding about your health. If a therapist from any provider tells you that a sore point shows a problem with an organ, do not act on it. If a symptom worries you, see a doctor.
The two side by side
The table sets the two methods next to each other in their textbook forms. Few sessions are as pure as either column.
| What differs | Foot massage | Reflexology |
|---|---|---|
| The idea behind it | The foot is muscle and joint to be eased | The foot is a chart of points to be worked through |
| Main technique | Gliding, kneading and stretching | Thumb-walking and held pressure on points |
| Order of work | Follows the tension | A set sequence over the whole foot |
| Oil or cream | Yes, for glide | Little or none, for grip |
| Usual pressure | Medium, firmer on request | Medium and focused |
| Lower legs | Usually included | In the strict form, feet only |
| What it can fairly claim | Comfort and relaxation | Comfort and relaxation |
Why the line is blurred in practice
Menus rarely keep the two apart. A session sold as a foot massage often includes pressure on points, and a session sold as reflexology usually begins and ends with massage. In much of Asia the everyday foot massage is a firm, point-based routine that a purist would call neither one thing nor the other.
The name on the menu therefore tells you less than a short question does. Ask what the session covers, whether the lower legs are included, whether oil is used, and how long is spent on each foot.
What our session includes
Our page lists the content of the session: massage of the feet and lower legs, targeting of the reflex points, and pressure adjusted for comfort. It is a combined session, which is what most people have in mind when they look for a foot massage at home. It runs 30 to 60 minutes.
You sit on a comfortable chair, a sofa or a bed. The therapist needs only a small space in front of it and a quiet room. Nothing has to come off except shoes and socks. Wear trousers that roll to the knee, so that the calves can be reached.
During the session the therapist checks the pressure on each part of the foot. Say if it is too much or too little, and say if one foot is more sensitive than the other, which is common. You can ask to pause or stop at any time.
Reflexology starts from AED 199 for a 60-minute session with one therapist. The price is confirmed before the session, and payment is by card online. The figures for our full-body massages are on the price list.
Thirty minutes or sixty
Thirty minutes is enough for both feet with focused pressure. A longer session leaves time for the lower legs and a slower pace, and it is the one to choose if your calves ache as much as your feet. Our guide to how long a massage should be goes through what fits into each length.
Adding it to a full-body massage
The page also describes the session as a quick add-on to any full-body massage. In a full-body sequence the feet get a few minutes at most. Booked alongside, they get a session of their own.
A full-body massage is AED 199 for 60 minutes and AED 279 for 90, and a 60-minute reflexology session starts from AED 199. The price for a shorter foot session added to a massage is confirmed when you book. Ask for the two as a single appointment, so that the time is confirmed together and one visit covers both.
Why feet get so tired, and what pressure can and cannot do
Feet do a great deal of unnoticed work. Each one has more than two dozen bones, and layers of small muscles that hold the arch up at every step. Those muscles tire like any others, but they are rarely stretched, rarely rested properly and almost never touched.
Hard floors are part of the reason they ache. Most homes in Abu Dhabi are floored in tile or marble, and so are the malls, offices, clinics, schools and hotel lobbies where many people spend the working day. A hard floor gives nothing back. Add shoes chosen for appearance or for safety instead of comfort, flat sandals with no support, and long drives with one foot held over a pedal, and it is easy to see why feet and calves are sore by evening.
Firm pressure on a tired foot feels good for plain reasons. The skin of the sole is thick enough to take real pressure, the small muscles underneath respond to kneading like any others, and it is pleasant to have a neglected part of the body attended to. Working the calves at the same time helps, because the foot and the lower leg tire together.
What a session does not do is remove the cause. If your feet ache every evening, the things that change it are better footwear, a mat at a standing workstation and breaks to sit down. If the pain is sharp, is in one foot only or is getting worse, see a doctor or a podiatrist. A session is for comfort.
Which should you ask for?
With a combined session, the choice is less about the name and more about what you tell the therapist. The table suggests what to ask for.
| If this is you | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Feet ache after a day of standing | The combined session, with extra time on the arches and heels |
| Calves are tight as well | The longer session, with the lower legs given as much time as the feet |
| You like a set routine and steady point pressure | More of the reflexology sequence, and less oil |
| Point pressure feels too sharp for you | Broader strokes and kneading, with oil or cream |
| Your feet are ticklish | Firm, slow pressure from the start. Light touch is what tickles |
| You dislike oil on your feet | Dry work, or a wipe with a towel at the end |
| Neck and shoulders are the real problem | The head and shoulder session instead |
| You want the whole body done | A full-body massage with the foot session added |
When a different session fits better
The feet are one end of the body. If the tension you notice most is at the other end, the 30-minute head and shoulder session is the equivalent for the neck, shoulders and scalp. Like the foot session, it is given seated and dressed, and the two together suit somebody who does not want a table massage at all.
If you are not sure which of our sessions is right, the comparison of the different types of massage sets them out with the pressure and the length of each.
Getting ready for a foot session at home
A foot session needs less preparation than a table massage, but a few minutes spent on the seat and the floor make it a better half hour.
- Choose the seat. You should be able to lean back with your head supported and your legs out in front of you. A sofa with a footstool, a recliner, or a bed with pillows behind you all work. An upright dining chair does not, because nobody relaxes in one for half an hour.
- Clear a small space in front of the seat, so that the therapist can sit or kneel there and put down a towel and the products.
- Rinse your feet if you have been out in sandals or have just come from the gym. It is more comfortable for both of you.
- Take off anklets and toe rings, and wear trousers that roll easily to the knee.
- Raise the thermostat a little. Bare feet and lower legs cool quickly in an air-conditioned room when you are sitting still.
- Keep a pair of socks or slippers within reach for afterwards, and a glass of water.
- Put your phone on silent and tell the household how long you will be.
Oil, cream and hard floors
One practical warning for homes with tile or marble floors. Feet that have just been massaged with oil or cream have no grip on a polished floor. Do not stand up and walk off barefoot. Ask for your feet to be wiped with a towel at the end, or put on socks or slippers before you stand.
If any oil reaches the floor, clean it up straight away with a damp cloth and a drop of washing-up liquid, then dry the spot. The next person to cross it will not know it is there.
The visit itself
The therapist arrives at the time booked and calls ahead from the gate or the lobby, so give a number that will be answered. Getting a visitor into a tower, what is brought, and how the rest of a visit runs are covered in our guide to how a home massage session works.
A five-minute foot massage you can give yourself
Between sessions, or if you only want to find out whether you enjoy having your feet worked on, you can do a simple version yourself. Sit where you can rest one ankle on the opposite knee. Use a little hand cream or body oil, and keep the pressure at a level that feels good.
- Hold the foot in both hands and squeeze it slowly from the heel to the toes a few times to warm it.
- With both thumbs, press and slide from the heel to the ball of the foot along three lines: the inner edge, the middle and the outer edge.
- Make small, firm circles with a thumb over the arch, and stay a little longer on any spot that feels tight.
- Squeeze the heel between thumb and fingers and roll it from side to side.
- Hold each toe in turn, pull it gently and turn it a little each way.
- Circle the ankle slowly, five times in each direction.
- Finish with long strokes from the toes up to the knee, then wipe the sole before you stand.
A ball under the foot
A firm ball, such as a tennis ball, rolled slowly under the arch while you sit is the easiest version of all. Keep your weight in the chair and let the foot rest on the ball. Do not stand on it. A minute or two for each foot is enough.
Stop if it produces sharp pain instead of a pleasant ache, and leave it alone altogether if any of the cautions in the next section apply to you.
When to ask a doctor first, and when to wait
A foot session is gentle compared with a full-body massage, but the feet and lower legs are where several health conditions show themselves. Our pages ask you to tell us about foot injuries, diabetes, circulation problems or pregnancy when you book. In the cases below, speak to your doctor before booking.
- Diabetes. It can reduce feeling in the feet, so that pressure which is too strong goes unnoticed, and it can slow the healing of small injuries. Ask your doctor whether a foot session is suitable for you.
- Poor circulation in the legs, painful varicose veins, or a blood clot now or in the past. A calf that is swollen, warm, red or painful should be seen by a doctor promptly and must not be massaged.
- Pregnancy. Ask your doctor or midwife first, and tell us when you book. Swelling of the feet or ankles that comes on suddenly is a reason to call your doctor, not to book a massage.
- A recent injury or operation: a sprain, a fracture, a torn tendon, or surgery on the foot, ankle or knee.
- A joint in the foot that is hot, red and swollen, whatever the cause.
- A fever, or a serious illness for which you are being treated.
Skin and nail problems
Tell the therapist about anything on the skin of the feet: a cut, a blister, a cracked heel that has split, a verruca, an ingrown nail, or the itching and peeling of athlete's foot. Small problems are worked around.
A fungal infection or a verruca can spread by contact, so a session is better postponed until it has been dealt with. A pharmacist or a doctor can advise on that. A therapist is not a podiatrist and does not treat any of these.
Signs to stop during a session
Pressure on the feet should feel strong and satisfying, with the occasional tender spot that eases as it is held. Sharp or burning pain, pins and needles, a cramp that will not let go, or pain inside a joint are reasons to say 'lighter' or 'stop' at once. So is feeling faint or unwell. You do not need to explain.
Common questions
Does reflexology hurt?
It should not. The pressure is firmer and more pointed than most people expect from the word 'massage', and a tight arch or heel can feel tender for a few seconds. That tenderness should fade while the point is held. If it does not, or if the pressure feels sharp, ask for less. Being able to take more is not the aim.
Can a therapist tell what is wrong with me from my feet?
No. A therapist can tell you which parts of your feet felt tight or tender, and nothing more. The chart of points is a traditional guide to the session and is not a diagnostic tool. For any health concern, see a doctor.
Is reflexology the same as acupressure?
They are alike in method and different in tradition. Both use finger and thumb pressure on particular points. Acupressure comes from traditional Chinese medicine and uses points across the whole body. Reflexology keeps to the feet, and sometimes the hands and ears, and has its own chart. For the person receiving it, the practical difference is simple: reflexology is a foot session.
My feet are very ticklish. Can I still have a session?
Usually, yes. Ticklishness is set off by touch that is light, quick and unpredictable. Reflexology is the opposite: slow, firm and deliberate. Tell the therapist before the session starts, and ask for a firm hold of the whole foot to begin with and no light strokes.
Most ticklish people settle within a minute or two. If you do not, say so, and the session can concentrate on the calves and the tops of the feet.
How often should I book?
As often as you find it worthwhile. People who are on their feet all day often book every week or two, and others add the session to a longer massage now and then. There is no course to complete, and no number of sessions after which something is supposed to have changed.
Can I lie on my bed instead of sitting?
Yes. A bed with pillows behind your back or under your knees is comfortable, and some people prefer to lie flat. The therapist works from the foot of the bed, so leave that end clear and make sure there is room to sit or kneel there. Lay a towel under your feet if you want to keep cream or oil off the bedding.
Can I ask for a female or a male therapist?
You can ask when you book. Our published wording is that a female or male therapist can be requested where the treatment allows, and that therapist availability is confirmed before the appointment. If it matters to you, write it in the booking and have it confirmed. Our guide to asking for a male or female therapist explains how.
How to book
Choose foot reflexology on the spa and wellness page, then book online or in the IHR Dream app with your address and preferred time. Sessions run every day, 8 AM – 8 PM. A 60-minute session starts from AED 199, the price is confirmed before the session, and you pay by card online.
In the notes, write that you want the foot session, how long, and what you want from it: more massage or more point work, feet only or calves as well, and the pressure you like. Add anything about your health that the therapist should know, and how a visitor reaches your door.
