In some circumstances, if you’re experiencing pain and instability in your joints (perhaps because of conditions like osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, bow legs or scoliosis), osteotomy may be a necessary course of action, where bones are surgically cut to allow for realignment.
This procedure is typically carried out in order to relieve arthritic pain (particularly in the hips and knees), to realign joints, to correct excessive angulation, rotation or bowing of long bones or to elongate or shorten bones where leg length discrepancy has been identified.
It involves general anaesthetic, with the surgeons removing the relevant wedge of bone near the damaged joint, in order to cause a shift of weight from the area with cartilage damage to another part of the body where normal/healthy cartilage is present, so that weight can be distributed more evenly.
After the surgery, the bone must be given time to heal in the new correct alignment, which typically takes around 12 weeks although the process can be slower or faster, depending on the individual circumstances.
However, you may want to consider massage therapy as an option to help you recover. The main benefits of this kind of practice include:
Help with scarring
Scars form when damage is done to the tissue both in and outside the body, with different texture and appearance to natural tissue. These scars can restrict movement and increase pain, but massage can help break down, realign and loosen collagen fibres, realigning them with natural muscle fibres and tissue.
Help with pain
Acute pain is not uncommon after surgery, but this can be addressed successfully through massage therapy, which helps to relieve muscle tension, improve blood flow, improve range of motion and improve relaxation of muscle fibres, all of which helps relieve tension and reduce pain.
Help with stress
Physical and mental stress is often experienced post-surgery, but massage can help with both these symptoms by facilitating healing and encouraging relaxation, keeping stress levels down.
