Massage can play a critical role in the recovery process after joint-replacement surgery. Hip- and knee-replacement surgery offers a path to pain-free mobility for people whose joint function has diminished due to age, illness, activity or injury.
Take the palms of your hands and put them on each side of your knee with your fingers wrapped around the front of your knee, right above your shin. Slowly take your fingers and slide them across your skin, creating a rolling motion. Repeat this exercise for 2 to 3 minutes a few times a day.
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.
Strength-building exercises – Not surprisingly, strength-building exercises are a mainstay in most physical therapy sessions. In most cases, a physical therapist will recommend straight leg raises, calf raises, and lower extremity stretches to help strengthen the muscles around the knee.
Causes of Joint Stiffness from Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee stiffness and pain that can occur after a knee replacement may be because of scar tissue and collagen attaching to the knee implant. This is called arthrofibrosis, and it is your immune system's reaction to the new “invader” in your knee.
It is common for 2 weeks to 3 months following the surgery. This stiffness reduces as your knee gets adjusted to the implants. As you start with your daily routine activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and getting up from a chair, you will see that the stiffness reduces and your mobility improves.
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.
Don't Overdo It
Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.
You shouldn't downhill ski or play contact sports such as football and soccer. In general, avoid sports that require jerking, twisting, pulling, or running. You should be able to do lower-impact activities, such as hiking, gardening, swimming, playing tennis, and golfing.
“Kneeling ability varies greatly post-knee replacement, and is multifactorial. Greater pain is a contributing factor to the inability to kneel postoperatively, but this appears to be nociceptive rather than neuropathic in nature.”
Of course, this will vary from patient to patient, depending upon your individual situation. However, in general, you can expect around 3 to 4 weeks of formal physical therapy from our experts. Dr.
Sleep on Your Back
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.
Both ice and heat can be used to relieve pain at the operation site, but both can be harmful if left on too long. Never sleep with a heating pad on your knee. It can damage the skin and cause burning. Ice packs can be used several times a day, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
A study of patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis looked at the effects of massage. Those who received a 60-minute Swedish massage once or twice a week for two months reported less pain and improved knee function. The researchers concluded that "massage therapy seems to be efficacious."
The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion.
Risks specific to knee replacement include infection (which may result in the need for more surgery), nerve injury, the possibility that the knee may become either too stiff or too unstable to enjoy it, a chance that pain might persist (or new pains might arise), and the chance that the joint replacement might not last ...
Exercise Limitations After a Knee Replacement
Like any activity, moderation is key. While walking is generally a highly recommended post-surgery activity, your excitement to get moving should be balanced with a respect for your healing body.
Tip #1: Avoid Sitting With Your Knee Bent Or Cross-Legged
To give your knees relief, limit the amount of time you spend with your knees bent or crossed. Try to have them straight whenever possible. If you have to sit with your knees crossed or bent, limit it to 20 minutes at a time before getting up and moving around.
Around the 6 week mark, once your physician gives you the greenlight, you may be able to return to sleeping in your preferred position (such as on your stomach or surgical side). Until then, stick to these positions.
You're not alone. Having an orthopedic surgery can leave you feeling tired for weeks or months after the procedure. Here's a list of 7 main causes of fatigue after surgery: surgical stress, blood loss, medications, pain after surgery, energy of healing, dietary changes, and sleep disturbance.
After surgery, it Is possible to do too much! You need to give your body time to heal. There is a delicate balance here because we do want you to move. Severe pain or swelling are signs that you are doing too much.
Your body just went through a major surgery and needs time to heal. Most people can resume daily activities with reduced pain approximately three to six weeks after surgery. Full recovery can take anywhere from four months to a year.
Furthermore, with the advent of joint prostheses coated with hydroxyapatite, which work by promoting primary bone formation to fill the gap between the prosthesis and the host bone, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be counterproductive.