Recovering from surgery isn’t just about rest, medications, and follow-up appointments. It’s about helping your body heal as efficiently and comfortably as possible. That’s where post-surgical medical massage comes in.
This isn’t your average spa treatment. It’s a clinical, therapeutic approach that supports your body’s natural healing process while easing discomfort and improving outcomes. There’s even scar massage therapy.
At Via Medical Massage, we specialize in this exact kind of care. Whether you’re healing from a tummy tuck, joint replacement, or a more complex procedure, post-surgical massage may be the missing piece of your recovery plan.
We even work with your PT, oT, PCP, and/or surgeon to get the treatment and help you need through a series of medical massage sessions.
What Is Post-Surgical Medical Massage?
Post-surgical massage therapy is a specialized form of bodywork designed to aid recovery after surgery. Unlike relaxation massages, which focus on stress relief, post-op massage targets specific issues that often follow surgery.
- Swelling
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Scar tissue formation
- Circulation
Depending on your needs and healing stage, therapists may use techniques like lymphatic drainage, myofascial release, gentle Swedish massage, or deep tissue work.
The goal is always the same: support your body’s healing response, reduce inflammation, prevent complications like fibrosis, and help you feel more like yourself again.
Who Benefits from Post-Surgical Massage?
If you’ve recently had surgery—cosmetic, orthopedic, reconstructive, or otherwise—there’s a good chance you’ll benefit from post-op massage. Clients often come to us with lingering swelling, tension, tightness around incision sites, or simply a desire to feel better without depending on pain medication.
It’s commonly recommended after procedures like liposuction, tummy tucks, breast augmentations, C-sections, knee or shoulder repairs, and abdominal surgeries. In many cases, massage helps people regain mobility faster and with fewer complications.
That said, not everyone is a candidate immediately. If you’re dealing with active infections, blood clots, uncontrolled blood pressure, or healing complications, massage should wait.
Your surgical team will let you know when you’re cleared for medical massage, usually one to two weeks post-op.
What to Expect During Post-Surgery Massage Sessions
Your first session won’t look or feel like a deep tissue massage, and that’s by design. In fact, each week you’ll notice the evolution of post-surgery massage.
Lymphatic Drainage for Post-Surgery Massage
In the early stages of healing, gentle is key. The light and rhythmic technique of lymphatic drainage massage stimulates the lymphatic system to reduce swelling, move fluid, and speed up waste removal.
Becky Impens, LMT, CLT, CNA, CCST, is a massage therapist specializing in cosmetic surgery recovery at Via Medical Massage.
“If you just had surgery and you’re concered about massage being uncomfortable, we perform lymphatic drainage. It’s essentially a soothing skin stretch and helps move the swelling out and helps minimize pain,” Impens said.
She added, “Aggressive massage or incisional drainage can increase inflammation because it’s triggering your body’s trauma response. You want a gentle massage that is soothing and will trigger your body’s parasympathetic system to calm everything down and get the fluid out.”
Body Contouring Phase
Body contouring is a crucial post-surgical technique that helps patients achieve smooth, natural-looking results after cosmetic procedures.
“Once the swelling goes down, our pressure increases and gets a little firmer and turns into more body contour techniques, so we can help decrease any lumps, bumps, or also known as fibrosis, that presents itself, so everything just heals smoothly,” Impens said.
Your therapist at Via Medical Massage will work with you to explain the pressure, techniques and make sure you’re resting in a comfortable and safe position.
Scar Tissue Massage
As your body progresses, your therapist may incorporate scar tissue massage and myofascial release to keep new tissue supple, prevent adhesions, and improve mobility.
Scar massage supports better collagen remodeling, so scars form more evenly and with greater flexibility. Impens says that scar tissue can be manipulated up to a year after surgery. That’s why starting as early as medically allowed is important.
“When you see us right when the scar starts to form, we have certain techniques that we do it help it lay flat and ensure it doesn’t get stuck down,” Impens explained.
She adds that scar massage can also help a year or two later, “When that scar gets adhered down after a year or two, it can actually cause pain and restriction. We can come in and help loosen that up, so when you pull it doesn’t hurt.”
No two sessions are the same. Your treatment plan is tailored to your specific surgery, symptoms, and stage of healing. Frequency also varies. Some clients benefit from twice-weekly sessions early on, while others shift to monthly maintenance once their body has turned the corner.
VIDEO: Post-Op Massage & Recovery
Watch this video, less than two minutes long, to learn more about post-surgery massage benefits. Hear from our owner, trained specialists, and a patient about how much this can help recovery and healing.
Follow Via Medical Massage on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@viamedmassage
Who Is a Candidate for Post-Surgical Massage?
Just about anyone who has had surgery is a candidate for post-surgical massage, provided your surgeon or medical team gives clearance.
Via Medical Massage collaborates closely with patients’ medical teams by directly communicating with surgeons, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. We also work with oncology patients.
Examples of procedures we’ve helped with in the healing process include:
- Breast augmentation
- Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
- Brazilian Butt Lift
- Mommy makeover
- Mastectomy
- Fractures
- Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA)
- Rotator Cuff Repair
- Hysterectomy
- Foot and ankle surgeries, including hammertoe
- General surgeries such as appendectomy and gallbladder removal
- Any cosmetic surgical procedure with incisions
That teamwork for recovery extends to dietitians and mental health professionals. The goal is to coordinate efforts, share insights about the patient’s healing progress, and create a holistic approach that optimizes recovery and surgical results.
What About Post-Surgery Massage Placement on the Table?
The massage tables of Via Medical Massage are designed to work with any position requirements or restrictions. For example, breast augmentation or abdominal plasty patients can’t lie on their sides. Brazilian Butt Lift patients need to avoid pressure on the backside.
“Let’s say you had a mommy makeover. We will have you positioned so your head is up. You’re not laying flat. We’re not going to roll you over to your stomach. We’re going to have you in position that is conducive with your restrictions,” she assured us.
“There are no post op patients that we can’t handle. We have all the equipment, including tables that can adjust as needed,” Impens emphasized.
Specialized medical massage therapists like Becky will also talk with you throughout the massage to ensure you’re comfortable with the pressure, hand placements, and process.
How Often Is Massage Needed After Surgery?
Initially, post-surgery patients typically need lymphatic drainage massages twice weekly for the first couple of weeks. As healing progresses, the frequency reduces to once a week, and eventually transitions to monthly maintenance sessions. The exact schedule depends on:
- Type of surgical procedure
- Amount of swelling
- Individual healing response
- Specific surgical areas treated
Each patient’s recovery is unique, so the massage frequency will be personalized to support optimal healing and achieve the best surgical results. Again, we work with your medical team before and after massages to meet your specific needs.
Via Medical Massage client Katie Miller has been coming to us for more than a decade.
“I got a total knee replacement this year, and had a lot of swelling and discomfort, both before the surgery and after. The medical massage just really helped alleviate some of that pain, the swelling, especially that lymphatic drainage right after surgery, was so helpful,” Miller said. “I also think I really appreciated just those first touches after the surgery and the care that they took. It helped get me moving. It helped my recovery.”
Let Us Help You Heal
Surgery is a big deal. Recovery doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right care, your body can do what it’s built to do: heal.
At Via Medical Massage, our team is trained in evidence-based, post-surgical massage techniques designed to support your body and mind throughout the healing process. Whether you’re looking to reduce swelling after liposuction or improve mobility following a joint replacement, we’re here to help you feel better one session at a time.
Ready to schedule a post-op massage or have questions about your specific situation? Reach out today. We’ll walk you through what’s possible and help you make an informed decision about your recovery care. We have two locations in Lincoln and an Omaha-area office in Elkhorn. Visit our Post Surgery Massage website page to learn more about the services we offer and our partners in Eastern Nebraska.
