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 a total knee replacement, 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. The swelling and irritation from a knee surgery can cause movement problems in the knee cap. Active movement and stretching as part of a home program can also help restore movement. Retraining may be needed if you've developed a limp, which may be due to apprehension of pain or simply from a habit you've developed since your injury or surgery.