Arthroplasty procedures can provide meaningful long-term benefits to patients, but they usually also come with long and arduous recoveries. Massage therapy can play a crucial role in the recovery process. “Post-surgical massage can soothe the guarding reaction of tissues, helping them to return to normal function.
However, the research and physiological wisdom suggests that healing can occur more efficiently if massage is an integral part of the recovery strategy. Here's why: Deep tissue massage when administered a few weeks post-surgery can help relieve the swelling and promote relaxation.
Knee Reconstruction | Remedial Massage
Having a quality rehabilitation program is a crucial part of any post-operative recovery plan. Remedial massage can be a great component of any recovery plan as it helps to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain, and restore joint mobility and circulation.
This is normal during the early stages of recovery, as the knee experiences swelling which causes temporary stiffness. This should begin to subside within the first month or so after the operation; if it continues to feel stiff or if the stiffness gets worse, contact your surgeon.
After joint replacement surgery, you may need medication for pain management. If you don't follow your pain treatment plan, you may find it harder to exercise the motion of your new joint replacement. This can lead to stiffness and limited motion.
Don't Overdo It
Although exercise is the key to healing, you could be backpedaling progress by overworking your knee.
The best way to sleep after knee surgery is on your back. This position makes it easy to keep your leg straight while sleeping, allowing proper blood flow to the surgery site. You can also prop your leg up using pillows while sleeping on your back.
By: Sunil Jani, MD, MS, Orthopedic Surgeon
A full recovery can take 6 months to 1 year or longer. After surgery, efforts are devoted to controlling post-surgical pain, establishing good range of motion, and increasing muscle strength. Once fully recovered, a person typically has less knee pain and better knee function.
Keep your knee straight
It's tempting to sit back and prop your leg on a pillow after knee surgery, but you should keep the joint completely straight after your procedure. To support the healing process, keep your leg and foot pointing straight ahead whenever you lie down or sit.
Your physical therapist can use various techniques, like massage, taping, or stretching, to decrease scar tissue adhesions and formations so you can restore normal functional mobility.
It is never too late to receive a scar tissue release massage. You may just need a couple of sessions to feel confident and comfortable to do this on yourself at home.
Stroking along the Scar:Massage the scar tissue by working it with a rubbing motion along the grain. You can move your fingers apart along the length of the scar as if you are trying to make the scar longer. Plucking: Put your index finger on one side and thumb on the other side of the scar.
Balancing movement with getting enough rest is necessary to heal from knee replacement surgery. For the first few months, you may have some mild-to-moderate swelling of the affected knee. Getting the appropriate rest and keeping your leg elevated, as well as applying ice, can help boost healing time.
The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion.
Within 7 to 10 days after your knee replacement, you should be able to get your knee entirely straight/full extension (Fig. 1) (no space between the back of your knee and the table) and you should be able to bend/flex your knee to at least 90 degrees (Fig. 2).
The goal after knee replacement is to get the knee to at least 120 degrees of flexion or bending motion. You need at least 110 degrees to enter and exit a car and most people need 110 to 120 degrees to ride a bike.
Most people can achieve up to about 145°. Many knee replacement patients won't be getting the full ROM, however. That may well be one of the reasons you're having the operation.