Surgery is stressful on your body even when it goes perfectly. Your muscles brace before the procedure and compensate after it. Scar tissue forms. Surrounding areas tighten to protect the surgical site. The result is often stiffness, reduced range of motion, and pain that lingers long after the incision has closed. Whether you're preparing for a procedure or working through recovery, therapeutic massage can make a meaningful difference in how your body responds.
Before Surgery
Pre-surgical massage focuses on getting your body into the best possible condition before the procedure. That means releasing existing tension, improving circulation, and addressing any compensatory patterns that might complicate your recovery. A body that goes into surgery relaxed and well-circulated tends to recover faster and with fewer complications.
I also use this time to assess your baseline—how your body moves and where you hold tension now—so I have a clear reference point for your post-surgical work. Knowing where you started helps me understand what's changed and what needs attention afterward.
After Surgery
Post-surgical work is where the real recovery happens. Once your surgeon clears you for massage—and I always coordinate with your medical team on timing—I focus on the specific patterns that surgery creates. Muscles around the surgical site guard and contract. Fascia tightens. Other parts of your body compensate for the area that's been compromised, creating secondary tension patterns that can become chronic if left unaddressed.
I use myofascial release and neuromuscular techniques to address scar tissue adhesions, restore mobility to the affected area, and release the compensatory tension that's developed throughout your body. The work is careful, progressive, and always within the boundaries of your recovery timeline. We go at the pace your body sets.
I've worked with clients recovering from knee replacements, shoulder surgeries, spinal procedures, abdominal surgeries, and more. The specifics vary, but the principle is the same: your body wants to recover. It's already doing the work. My job is to remove the obstacles—the adhesions, the guarding, the compensation patterns—so your body can rebuild without restriction. Clients consistently recover faster and more completely when targeted bodywork is part of their post-surgical plan.