A foot massage at Serenity Zen starts with a warm mineral soak, then steady pressure on the reflex points of your feet and lower legs. You stay fully clothed, at your own station behind heavy curtains, and the pressure is whatever you ask for. Sessions run 45, 60 or 90 minutes.
The short answer
Wear: pants that roll up above the calf. You stay fully clothed.
First: a warm mineral soak.
Then: steady pressure on the reflex points of the feet and lower legs.
Length: 45 minutes for the feet, 60 to add the calves and lower legs, 90 for the deepest reset.
Add-ons: hot stones, a steam eye mask and other enhancements.
Before you arrive
Wear something that rolls up above the calf, and arrive 15 minutes early. Tell the front desk how much pressure you like and anything to avoid, such as a sore heel. If you have a foot wound, a recent injury, diabetes or a circulation problem, check with your doctor first.
At your station
Your things go in a locker, with a key bracelet you keep. At your station in the Reflex Lounge, heavy curtains close around you. You take off your shoes and socks, roll your pant legs above the calf, and lie back. That is all the undressing there is.
The session opens with your feet in a warm mineral soak, which warms them before any pressure starts and gives you a quiet moment to settle in.
The pressure work
Next, your therapist works steady pressure on the reflex points of the feet and lower legs. The work is reflexology-based: it follows a map of points on the feet that reflexology links to other parts of the body, and research on how it works is still limited. More in what foot reflexology is.
What you will notice is simpler. The pressure should feel firm, not sharp, and tired feet often feel lighter afterward. If a point is too much, say so; you can change the pressure at any time.
How long to book
45 minutes is a full session for the feet.
60 minutes adds time for the calves and lower legs.
90 minutes is for the deepest reset.
Want the body too? The Combination is feet first, then a body massage, in one visit.
For people who stand all day
Nurses, teachers, cooks, retail and warehouse workers: if you stand or walk for a living, your feet and calves carry the whole day. A foot massage fits easily into a busy week, since there is nothing to change out of, and the soak alone can feel like a reset.
From Dr. Nick
Serenity Zen was built on the foot massage in 2012. The feet carry the whole day, and there is a lot to be said for starting where the weight lands.
Common questions
Is a foot massage the same as reflexology?
Our foot massage works the reflex points of the feet and lower legs, so it is reflexology-based. You stay fully clothed.
Will it tickle?
Firm, steady pressure rarely tickles. If a spot is sensitive, say so and your therapist will adjust.
Can I add hot stones?
Yes. Enhancements such as hot stones and a steam eye mask can be added to any foot massage.
What if I have a foot condition?
If you have a wound, an infection, a recent injury, diabetes or a circulation problem, check with your doctor first, and tell the desk when you book.
Book your massage
Serenity Zen has studios in West Covina and Diamond Bar. Open daily, 10 AM to 9 PM.