Massage at home while you recover from surgery
The recovery they described to you assumes you can get to appointments, and for a lot of people that is the part that does not work. This page is the general picture, though new hips and knees have a page of their own.
Never had a massage? Read this first.
There are a few things worth checking first
You don't need to get onto a table
I work on beds, in recliners and in wheelchairs. A hospital bed makes my job easier. If lying flat is uncomfortable we work side-lying with pillows, and if sitting up is all you can manage today, we work sitting up.
Nothing about this needs you to get dressed or get into a car or look presentable. That's the whole reason I work this way.
Manual lymphatic drainage
Manual lymphatic drainage is one of the techniques I practice, and in the first weeks after surgery it is usually the one I use. It's very light and very slow, and it has a different purpose from deep work.
Two things before you book. Your surgeon clears you before I touch you. And if you have been diagnosed with lymphedema, that's a clinical specialty of its own, and you want a certified lymphedema therapist.
Scar tissue, and getting moving again
Once the incisions are closed, if your surgeon has put soft-tissue work in your plan, I work to the plan and send them a written note after every session, so they can see what changed between visits.
How it goes, for this
Before
Your surgeon's answer
Ask them when soft-tissue work is allowed and how close to the incision. Bring me what they said and I'll work inside it.
At the house
No table needed for any of it
A bed or a recliner or a kitchen chair. Side-lying with pillows is usually the most comfortable, and it works as well as a table does.
After
A written note, if a doctor sent you
What I found, what I worked, what changed since last time. Your doctor gets it in writing.
Can't get onto a massage table? Pick what you have, and I'll tell you how it works.
I can get on a massage table
Then that's what we'll use. At the studio it is set up and ready before you walk in. At home, for my regulars, it goes up and comes down again inside the hour, and there's nothing for you to arrange.
Only my own bed
That's fine, and it's common. I work alongside the bed and set the positioning to suit you, with pillows under the knees or side-lying if lying flat is not comfortable. A hospital bed makes my job easier.
My recliner
Good. Neck, shoulders, arms, hands, feet and lower legs all work well in a recliner, and for a lot of people that's where the pain is.
I use a wheelchair
We can work in the chair, or move to a bed or table if you transfer easily and want to. Tell me which on the phone and I'll bring what suits.
A kitchen chair is all I have
That is all I need. I bring a seated setup, you stay fully clothed, and it's the same work through your neck, your shoulders, your back.
I am asking on behalf of someone else
Call me and skip the booking page, because I'll want to know what they can and can't do, whether there is a hospital bed, and who will be there. If they have a guardian, a healthcare surrogate or a power of attorney, tell me who holds it. You're welcome to stay in the room the whole time.
If you're still not sure, call me and describe the room. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
Questions
How soon after surgery can I have a massage?
That is your surgeon's call and it varies a lot by procedure. Most people first ask at the follow-up appointment, two to six weeks out. Ask about soft-tissue work and how close to the incision, then tell me what they said and I'll work inside it, including nowhere near the site if that's what they want.
Can you come to a rehab facility, or an apartment in a community?
Usually yes, with the facility's permission. Some of them have their own rules about anyone coming in to work, so call me before you arrange anything and we'll find out what theirs are.
Can my daughter book it for me?
Yes, and it happens often. Whoever calls, I'll want to know what you can and cannot do, whether there is a hospital bed, and who will be there. Family are welcome to stay in the room.