6 Ways to Maximise your Recovery and Minimise Your Swelling

Are you suffering from swelling after an injury or operation?

So often people struggling after an injury or operation with persistent swelling.  This swelling can cause all sorts of problems both in the short term where it can switch off muscles and cause a lot of pain, and also in the longer term where it can become thickened and prevent progression of rehab.

Why does swelling happen?

Swelling is usually in response to an injury to the body tissues.  Detector cells in the blood notice an injury and alert the body to make the chemicals needed for repair and recovery. These chemicals are then transported to the area and deposited to do their work. This is combined with a thicker fluid that holds these chemicals in the area needed whilst they do their job. This is great whilst these chemicals are needed for repair, but within a few days this process is started and the swelling is no longer needed as the next stage of healing has started.  At this point the swelling becomes a hindrance.  Muscles don’t like working in an environment where extra inflammatory chemicals and fluid are found. They tend to be reluctant to work which is not ideal when most often getting your muscles up and running again is important for recovery.  It is hard to progress your walking without a limp if your quadriceps (thigh) muscles are not kicking in properly.

6 Effective Tips To Reduce Swelling

1) Elevate 

Help your body to get rid of the extra fluid by using gravity to aid fluid movement in the right direction. If you have swelling in your leg, then elevate the foot above the hip and gravity will nicely move the swelling up towards the hip where it is removed by the Lymph (fluid management) system.

2) Compress 

There is some evidence to support the idea that a gentle compression of a limb aids swelling reduction in the area.  By compressing from the outside of the limb you will help to reduce swelling in an area and move it away from where it is not needed.  Ask your physiotherapist, doctor or pharmacist for advice on how to achieve this safely.

3) Ice

The evidence is still not 100% certain as to whether hot or cold has the best effects at which point in the recovery process.  You will see elite sports professionals being ice bathed, and others being warmed.  Our suggestion is to keep cold treatment for injuries and swelling less than 3 days old, no longer than 10 minutes at a time, and carefully applied to avoid ice burns with a layer protecting you from the ice (such as a wet tea towel).  If you have the time to try 1 minute of cold followed by 1 minute of hot, then give it a go as there is some suggestion this reduces swelling more. See which works best for you.  The principle is to vaso-constrict (make smaller) the blood vessels for a period to squeeze fluid out of them and away. We just don’t know exactly which does this best, but try it and make the decision based on your own swelling.  For effective cold therapy known as cryotherapy there cryocuff cooler which delivers cold to the affected part in an effective controlled manner and for a longer period of time.

4) Move

Physiotherapy at Home or Work

If you have a problem with swelling whether from an injury, other medical condition or following an operation our physiotherapists can help you as described as above.

Your mobility is likely to be restricted when you are recovering and rest is recommended – our sports/musculoskeletal physios can see you at home or work avoiding the difficulty with travelling.

The physiotherapist will ensure they work alongside your Consultants diagnosis and advice to get you back to the activities/sports you loved before your injury as quickly as possible but as safely as possible.

Take Home Points