Knee Massage Therapy

Knee Massage Therapy

Initially, some supporters of massage medicine might think that a massage therapy practitioner lies on the opposite end of the healing spectrum from an orthopedic surgeon. In a last ditch hope to reduce pain, drain edema, improve function and restore range of motion, a staunch western medical cynic may perceive submitting to arthroscopic knee surgery as a loss of hope. Unfortunately, such a view enforces the separation of allopathic medicine from alternative styles of healing - like massage therapy. Massage therapists can help their clients in this situation by teaching them about the true strength of integrative medicine. In this specific context, utilizing the power of massage therapy soon after knee surgery offers the client the best of both wellness approaches: surgical repair of the damaged tissue AND bodywork to aid in the tissue's healthful recovery (Peterson & Renström, p. 130-254).

Recovery with Massage Therapy

Rehabilitation from arthroscopic surgery typically lies with physical therapy. While physical therapy is a crucial part of the recovery process, there is more that can be done. A modality that induces relaxation, affects soft tissue and invigorates circulation, massage therapy can offer a great boost to recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. This view is shared by many in the profession. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) has even taken the position that massage aids in postoperative pain relief. According to the AMTA, research indicates that massage therapy can:

Decrease postoperative pain

Decrease postoperative pain unpleasantness/distress

Decrease sympathetic responses to postoperative pain

Accelerate the rate of decline in the intensity of postoperative pain

Decrease doses of analgesics

Increase levels of calmness/feelings of well-being

Further supporting massage's general benefit for postoperative pain, a study published in the winter 2010 edition of the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research concluded that massage therapy was a valuable tool to reduce pain severity following arthroscopic ...