Massage, cold whirlpool treatment, or compression therapy may be used to control swelling by flushing the extra fluid away from the area. The use of cold, compression, and elevation are a beneficial combination for reducing swelling. In the acute treatment after meniscal surgery, the stimulation can ease pain and help remove swelling. It is often used in combination with ice in the early stages and heat in the later stages of recovery. This treatment stimulates nerves by sending an electrical current gently through your skin.
Some people say it feels like sort of like a massage on their skin.
Electrical stimulation can ease pain by sending impulses that are felt instead of pain. Once the pain eases, muscles that are in spasm begin to relax, letting you move and exercise with less discomfort. Active movement and stretching as part of a home program can also help restore movement. It is important in the early weeks after a meniscal repair not to push knee flexion. A reasonable goal is to help you get 90 to 100 degrees of flexion by the fourth week after surgery.