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  • Scar tissue massage (being a complete wuss content)
  • dan1980
    Free Member

    I’m expecting MTFU responses to this, but here goes anyway!

    I had ankle surgery on the 30th Sept, and have had an assortment of full lower leg casts over the course of a month, up until 4 weeks ago when I was given a plastic walking boot thingamajig to use. At this point, I was told to start “re-educating” the skin on my operated foot and ankle to normal sensations, and to massage the scar.

    This presented a problem in as much as I couldn’t apply any direct pressure to the scar itself, or the surrounding tissue, but I did my best to provide the skin with different sensations regularly to try and encourage things along.

    4 weeks down the line, I’ve gone back to the consultant (on Monday) and he’s not happy that I’ve not been able to touch the scar yet, let alone massage it (and that the joint still hurts when I turn my foot inwards, apparently it’s my fault that it’s taking time for the ligaments to heal properly!) He had a poke and then had to scrape me off the ceiling whilst I uttered a string of expletives under my breath.

    He wasn’t hugely helpful in suggesting a way of sorting this out, but said I needed to stay in the cast for another 2-3 weeks trying to get to a stage where I could comfortably apply pressure to the scar, as apparently the physio won’t touch me until I can touch myself (ooh err!)

    It’s probably worth pointing out that the scar itself doesn’t look angry, and the tissue around it isn’t swollen etc. I’ve got poor capillary refil in the foot still (ca. 4 seconds) but no-one has seemed concerned about this when I’ve bought it up.

    Has anyone else experienced this, and have a suggestions – funny or otherwise (apart from MTFU!) that may help?

    Suggsey
    Free Member

    Its difficult to suggest anything except MTFU to be honest, no pain no gain and if you want to end up with a whizened useless leg carry on otherwise grit your teeth and start flexing it-embrace the pain!

    footflaps
    Full Member

    Pain killers and then gentle massage?

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    sparkingchains
    Free Member

    If it’s that bad is there not some pain killers you can use? If not, best to just massage it anyway, areas of scar tissue than can build up really don’t help in the long run.

    robbo
    Free Member

    Have they taken bloods to check for infection? Is the area hot? You should be able to touch it – maybe not pressure but touch at least.

    I had a hip replacement last year (after loads of infection) and could massage around the scar as soon as the clips were out (3 weeks I think).

    Circulation will come back – my foot was swollen for ages!

    nuke
    Full Member

    Not heard of this scar tissue massage. I broke my wrist in April this year and have a 3 inch scar running up my wrist…its nearly December now and I still can’t touch it and hate it when anything brushes against it. Its not what I’d call painful if it does get touched but its a tingly weird feeling. Wonder if I should have been massaging it? Physio did mention anything 😕

    neninja
    Free Member

    After I messed up my knee last year I went and saw a person who specialises in scar tissue recovery. My scar had adhered to the knee cap. She loosened it by massaging with a metal scraper type tool. Now that was painful!

    I found using Contractubex gel really helped to break down the scar tissue and make the skin heal properly. It’s taken a year for the sensitivity to return to normal so I can kneel again etc.

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