How To: Give a good massage on the lower back

• Start by warming and relaxing the lower back of the person you are looking to massage. Warm some massage oil in your hands, and spread it evenly over their lower back.
• Start to relax the muscles of the lower back by lightly massaging in circles, moving away from the spine and down the sides. Be sure to stay about an inch away on either side of the spine, which can be very sensitive.
• Provide steady but careful focus on knots, which are key points of tension. Massaging a knot too vigorously can be uncomfortable for the person receiving the massage, and lead them to tense up more.
• Be careful about the needs of the person receiving the massage. A relaxation massage will require different techniques than a therapeutic massage for addressing an injury.
• Alternating techniques can help with relaxing and loosening muscles, as well as provide different sensations for the recipient of the massage. Another technique is to use both hands on one side of the back, one hand traveling down while the other travels up. When working on the far side of the recipient's back, be sure to press gently but firmly with the fingers, not squeeze or pinch with the whole hand. On the near side, this can be awkward, so instead apply pressure with the thumb and the lower part of the palm.