Executive Summary
- Swelling is essentially fluid buildup in tissues, often a natural inflammatory response to heal tissue after injury or surgery. Excessive or prolonged swelling can damage tissue and indirectly slow down recovery times.
- Implementing certain practices like elevating, attempting ice therapy, and applying compression to the leg can reduce swelling and expedite healing. Gentle exercises and hydration also play key roles in swelling reduction.
- Make sure you closely follow the professional guidance given for post-operative care to improve mobility, comfort, and recovery time. Long-term adjustments like regular doctor check-ins may be necessary.
- Contact a qualified medical professional if your swelling persists after a few days or becomes substantially uncomfortable. Some non-surgical treatments like pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy can combat inflammation.
How To Reduce Swelling After Knee Surgery
Before learning how to reduce swelling after knee replacement surgery, you must understand swelling is the accumulation of fluid, and it is usually caused by tissue trauma associated with injuries or surgical procedures. An average amount of swelling can be part of the body’s natural healing process since it can bring blood cells or lymphatic fluids to the damaged tissues.
Still, it is important to know how to reduce swelling after knee surgery because excessive swelling can deliver undue pressure onto surrounding nerves and tissues, making it painful and uncomfortable to move. Unaddressed swelling can also lead to impaired circulation, which can prevent sufficient oxygen and nutrients from reaching the damaged tissue.
By understanding how to reduce swelling after knee replacements, you can potentially restore movement, ease pain, and improve recovery outcomes. If the severity of the problem does not lessen after attempting the strategies below, ask a qualified medical provider how to reduce swelling in the knee after surgery.
Why Swelling Occurs After Knee Surgery
Swelling is the abnormal enlargement of a body part due to fluid accumulation from capillary and lymphatic leaks. In many cases, swelling is the result of the body’s natural inflammatory response to repair damaged tissues. Therefore, mild swelling can be a standard part of the healing process after injuries or intrusive medical operations like knee surgery.
The bodily trauma from knee surgery can incite swelling by sending large amounts of white blood cells to the site of the operation to heal the surrounding tissue. Although spurts of moderate swelling are normal, excessive swelling can become uncomfortable and may limit the person’s mobility if not managed correctly. Knowing how to reduce swelling can provide a patient with a smoother recovery and make it easier to return to everyday activities.
Strategies to Reduce Swelling After Knee Surgery
Consistent or worrisome levels of swelling should be addressed by a qualified medical professional. However, you can try the following at-home techniques to reduce average cases of swelling while performing aftercare following joint replacement surgery.
1. Elevate the Knee
Raising the knee and propping it in a position above the heart level can help reduce fluid buildup and minimize the appearance, warmth, and discomfort of swelling. This is because gravity can encourage proper drainage away from the surgery site, potentially causing blood cells and lymphatic fluid to circulate more naturally.
To attempt this strategy, select a comfortable place to lie down. Then, stack pillows where your affected leg will rest until the stack is higher than your torso will be. Prop your knee up and rest for 15 to 30 minutes. For optimal results, practice knee elevation several times daily, particularly after physical activities that have exacerbated swelling.
2. Try Ice Therapy
Ice therapy is the process of applying cold compresses to the affected area. Cold compresses are known to reduce inflammation by contracting blood vessels, slowing blood flow to the affected area, and limiting fluid buildup. Ice therapy can reduce inflammation, ease pain, and minimize swelling when practiced properly.
To implement this technique, apply an ice pack wrapped in a lightweight cloth to avoid direct skin contact. Typically, gel packs or frozen vegetables can work as cold packs, too. After finding or creating an appropriate cold pack, apply it to the swollen knee for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Repeat this process approximately every 1-2 hours to achieve the best possible outcome.
3. Wear Compression Garments
Bandages or sleeves that compress around the body can prevent blood and fluid from pooling in that area. By improving blood flow and reducing fluid buildup, this technique has the potential to prevent excessive swelling.
Most patients wear compression garments for a few hours at a time. However, consulting your doctor for advice on duration or the type and fit of compression gear is essential. They may recommend a knee brace with compressing qualities to provide support and circulatory benefits simultaneously. Regardless, avoiding overly tight wraps or bandages is crucial because it can impede blood flow and extend the healing process.
4. Gentle Range of Motion Exercises
Staying active is key to most middle-aged and elderly patients’ knee replacement recovery process. Still, knowing which exercises to perform is vital because some high-impact activities can worsen the person’s condition and delay healing. Talk to your medical provider for a list of acceptable gentle exercises that promote flexibility, prevent stiffness, and aid circulation because they can ultimately reduce swelling.
Some examples of knee replacement exercises that your joint specialist may recommend are:
- Ankle pumps – Continually flex and point your toes to encourage blood flow that can reduce swelling.
- Quad sets – Tighten your thigh muscles by carefully pressing the back of your knee into the surface you are lying on. Hold this pose for a few seconds at a time.
- Heel slides – Slowly slide your heel toward your buttocks while keeping the knee bent, then carefully extend it back.
- Straight leg raises – Engage the muscles in your thigh without bending the knee by lying flat and lifting your straight leg a few inches off the surface.
- Seated knee extensions – While sitting comfortably, straighten your affected leg before you and hold that pose for a few seconds before lowering it.
Only perform workouts that your therapist has instructed to prevent further swelling and pain. You should start by only investing a little time and energy into your routine; then, you can gradually increase intensity under professional supervision.
5. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is a great way to flush out excess fluids and toxins, which can reduce the severity or presence of swelling. Therefore, you should drink water regularly—aim to consume at least eight glasses of water daily.
To further promote hydration, avoid dehydrating drinks and foods. Some examples of dehydrating beverages you should not consume large amounts of are:
- Caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea because of their diuretic effect.
- Alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, and spirits because they can inhibit the body’s hormone that helps retain water.
- Sodas with high sugar content because they can draw water into the intestines and lead to fluid loss.
By limiting the consumption of the drinks mentioned above and opting for water instead, patients can regulate the fluid levels in their bodies, potentially reducing swelling.
6. Avoid Prolonged Sitting or Standing
Sometimes, sitting or standing for too long can slow circulation. This can cause fluid to pool in a person’s lower extremities, particularly around the knees, which can worsen swelling. To prevent this from happening, balance movement and rest.
Some examples of activities that you can try to stimulate blood flow are:
- Taking short walks
- Calf raises
- Shallow squats
- Side leg raises
You can keep fluid circulating throughout your body by performing low-impact exercises and limiting how long you sit or stand at one time.
7. Use Prescribed Medications
Your medical provider may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications that can directly address swelling and pain. Most of these medications work by blocking enzymes that produce inflammatory chemicals like prostaglandins, which are usually released in response to injury or surgery and contribute to pain and fluid buildup in tissues.
Be sure to follow the medication use and treatment plan outlined by your doctor to ensure the results are as safe and effective as possible.
Long-Term Swelling Management
Depending on the severity of the surgery, swelling can last for weeks or even months. To prevent excessive or recurring swelling, attend follow-up appointments with your medical provider. During these appointments, you should report any changes in your symptoms and adjust your exercise routine as advised.
If swelling persists, there are also medically-backed alternate therapies you can try. For example, The Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale offers therapies known to help combat swelling, including pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF). PEMF therapy is a non-invasive treatment that sends electromagnetic pulses into targeted areas of living tissue for short periods to stimulate cellular repair, decrease inflammation, and relieve the user’s pain.
We also offer ARPwave therapy, which uses electrical currents and physical techniques like range-of-motion exercises to help speed up the body’s natural recovery process and provide pain relief for many patients. Your medical provider should be able to suggest which therapy may have the greatest chance of success for your unique situation.
When to Contact Your Surgeon
Constant, increasing, or any other type of unusual swelling may signal underlying complications like infection or blood clots. Some examples of scenarios worthy of contacting your medical provider are:
- Your pain continues to worsen
- There is an exceptional warmth radiating from the site
- There is unusual discoloration around the knee you had surgery on
Some of the signs above can indicate that there is a more severe issue at hand. So, if you notice anything out of the ordinary with your post-surgery knee, you should contact your doctor for an evaluation as soon as possible.
Recover From Knee Surgery Quickly with The Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale
Knowing how to reduce swelling after knee surgery is key because prolonged or excessive swelling can damage tissues or hinder blood flow. Try elevating your knee, applying cold compresses, and practicing mobility exercises recommended by a qualified medical professional. Staying hydrated and avoiding prolonged sitting or standing can also be helpful for people learning how to reduce swelling after knee replacement surgery.
Relying on the Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale for your joint-related needs is a great way to avoid unnecessary complications, such as swelling or pain. Our minimally invasive surgical approach uses incredibly accurate Mako SmartRobotics to cause the least amount of disruption to the surgery site. We also know how to reduce swelling in the knee after surgery, offering various alternative therapies known to mitigate symptoms like inflammation.
Schedule a consultation to start participating in a treatment plan tailored to your knee condition.
