Janice Hiner LMT, BCTMB

In our world of modern medicine and technology, surgeries for even the smallest injuries have become most common. From having a tear in the rotator cuff of the shoulder to a tear in the meniscus (the cartilage in the knee), surgeries are more prevalent in this day and age. In my years as a Licensed Massage Therapist, I have seen people who have undergone knee replacements, shoulder replacements, spinal fusions, and discectomies, just to name a few. One question that I have always been asked from these patients is, “Can I have a massage after my surgery?” And my response over the years has been an enthusiastic and emphatic “Yes!” Given that the patient’s surgeon has cleared them to receive soft tissue work and the patient is mobile, massage can potentially be received several weeks after surgery and is a beneficial tool to help the body heal.

Some things to keep in mind for your post-operative massage session:

1. Give your therapist the details. If you have been feeling that “small little twinge” somewhere, or that “pinch in a small place” or tightness elsewhere, let your therapist know those details. Often times information that may seem small and insignificant to you, can help your therapist better plan the session.
2. Your therapist may or may not work on the surgical area. Depending on your particular case and how many weeks post-op, massage on the surgical area may not be recommended due to the area still healing, and in the case of fusions, still fusing. However, since surgery can be a stressor in and of itself, other areas of the body can become affected by that stress. Massage on the outlying areas decreases that stress to allow the body to better recover and heal.
3. Communicate with your therapist. If you are feeling at all uncomfortable in the area you have had surgery, let your massage therapist know. They may need to position you differently or need to move to another area of the body to work on.
4. Work on or around the incision is possible. Because the formation of scar tissue is irregular and not uniform, external work on a surgical scar can assist in a flatter and less restricted incision scar.

If you are wondering where you can find massage therapists who are experienced with post-operative care, search for physical therapy or chiropractor’s offices who incorporate massage therapists into their practices. I myself worked for 6.5 years in a chiropractic setting, gaining this knowledge and experience of post-op care. If you are in the Warrenton area look no further than Innovative Physical Therapy & Wellness Studio. We look forward to serving you in your post-operative care needs!

For resources on this topic please visit:
https://www.amtamassage.org/articles/3/MTJ/detail/3834/helping-patients-after-surgery