Following surgery, the doctor usually tells the patient to get up and walk as soon as possible. For some, this is no problem. When the surgery is in the legs, however, there can be complications, not the least of which are swelling, stiffness, soreness and aches. Massage is a good way to help restore mobility to the lower extremities; it is also a good way to reduce swelling and improve the skin's moisture levels. But you should make sure the stitches are not irritated.
Instructions
Prepare for the Massage
1. Make sure you have the doctor's permission to perform massage on the legs. There may be special considerations to avoid any complications, such as blood clots or cancerous tissues present within the leg. Massage, even gentle massage, could break off a blood clot or cancerous cell and cause a life-threatening embolism or spread of the cancer. When either of these are present, massage should never be performed except by a trained, licensed massage therapist and only under a doctor's supervision. If the doctor says massage is okay, proceed.
2. Use pillows to elevate the legs above the heart. Elevating the legs helps facilitate the drainage of excess fluid that may have built up in the legs, which if left unchecked can turn into a condition known as edema. Since massage helps move fluid through the body, elevating the legs makes the work of the person giving the massage that much easier.
3. Apply a light coat of vitamin E oil to the legs and feet. This not only allows the hands to glide easily across the skin of the legs, it helps nourish and moisturize the skin.
Perform a Circulatory Massage
4. Expose the leg and, starting at the knee, lightly rub the hands towards the hips. Use sweeping strokes, but be careful not to use too much pressure. After several strokes on the top of the leg, move your hands along the sides of the leg and repeat the strokes. If you can, run your hands along the backs of the legs.
After completing the upper leg, repeat the strokes on the lower legs, always working upwards, towards the heart.
5. Elevate the limbs individually, and repeat the massage strokes. The elevation lets gravity do some of the work for you, but you still need to use your hands to ensure that any excess fluid is gently moved out of the leg. Again, always work towards the heart.
6. If the swelling persists, you may have to perform a very light lymphatic-drainage massage. For this, you need a very light touch, literally the weight of a nickel. Use small, slow, circular movements starting just above the knee and moving upwards, towards the hips. This opens up the lymphatic capillaries, allowing the excess fluid to enter and be removed easily.
Tags: excess fluid, your hands, hands along, legs helps, repeat strokes, towards heart,