Why We Mobilize Joints After Surgery

The Role of Fascia in Healing and Recovery

After surgery, whether it's a joint replacement, ligament repair, or another type of procedure, rehabilitation plays a crucial role in recovery. One of the key elements of post-surgery rehab is joint mobilization — a process that involves gently moving the joint through its range of motion to promote healing and restore function. But why is joint mobilization so important, and how does it affect the surrounding tissues, particularly the fascia?

The Importance of Joint Mobilization

Joint mobilization after surgery helps prevent stiffness, reduces pain, and enhances the return of functional movement. After surgery, it's common for a joint to become stiff due to both the injury itself and the body's natural healing process. Scar tissue can form around the surgical site, limiting the movement of the joint, and the tissues around it can become tight, especially when they’re not used for extended periods.

By gradually mobilizing the joint, we help break up adhesions, improve circulation, and stimulate the muscles and tissues around the joint to restore flexibility and strength. This process not only speeds up recovery but also reduces the chances of long-term discomfort and disability.

The Role of Fascia: Why Inactivity Leads to Problems

A key player in joint mobility is the fascia — a dense, connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones, and joints. Fascia is meant to be flexible and adaptive, providing support and allowing smooth movement. However, when we don’t move or stretch our joints for a prolonged period (such as during a post-surgery recovery), the fascia can become matted or stuck together. This is particularly true if movement is restricted for an extended time, such as after surgery, which causes the fascia to lose its pliability.

When fascia becomes matted, it adheres to muscles and other tissues, creating areas of tension that inhibit smooth movement. The lack of movement also prevents the fascia from properly hydrating and lubricating, further contributing to tightness. This restriction of fascia can have a significant impact on the range of motion (ROM) in a joint, making it harder to regain full function.

Inactivity and Fascia: A Vicious Cycle

When a joint is immobilized during recovery, the surrounding tissues, including fascia, are not exposed to the stretching and loading that typically occurs with regular movement. Over time, the fascial tissue becomes stiff and less elastic, forming dense areas where it sticks together. These adhesions can restrict blood flow to the affected area, leading to stiffness, reduced flexibility, and slower recovery.

Without intervention, these restrictions can create a vicious cycle. The stiffness in the fascia makes it harder to move the joint, which leads to even more immobility and even further fascial adhesions. It’s a challenge that can take a toll on both the joint’s range of motion and the overall rehabilitation process.

How Joint Mobilization Helps

This is where joint mobilization comes in. By gradually moving the joint through its normal range of motion, we help break up these fascial adhesions and reintroduce the necessary movement patterns to the tissues. It encourages the fascia to glide more freely and restores fluidity to the entire system. Not only does this improve flexibility, but it also enhances circulation, which helps bring nutrients to the tissues and promotes healing.

In many cases, specific techniques like myofascial release or soft tissue mobilization are used in conjunction with joint mobilization to target the fascia directly. These therapies help to reduce the adhesions in the fascia and free up the movement restrictions, allowing for a smoother, more functional recovery.

Conclusion

Joint mobilization after surgery isn’t just about moving the joint — it’s about addressing the underlying tissues that contribute to its movement. The fascia, when matted and restrictive due to inactivity, can be a major roadblock in achieving full recovery. Mobilizing the joint and surrounding tissues helps break down these fascial adhesions, improving range of motion and reducing the risk of long-term dysfunction.

Incorporating joint mobilization into post-surgery rehab is essential for achieving optimal recovery, restoring flexibility, and preventing future pain or discomfort. By addressing both the joint and the fascia, we ensure a holistic approach to healing that can help get patients back to their normal activities with greater ease and confidence.

Stay supple!

Nicole

P.S. Ready to get to work and start moving betting?  Click here to learn more about the new online Dynamic Fascia Fitness classes.