After knee surgery, how to get rid of scar tissue?

4 min readJun 26, 2021

Arthrofibrosis also referred to as “stiff knee syndrome or frozen knee,” occurs when excessive scar tissue forms around a joint. Additionally, this scar tissue restricts the range of motion and causing pain and impairment in the knee joint. Arthrofibrosis occurs after about 6% of these surgeries.

Arthrofibrosis within the knee joint is quite common after arthroscopic knee replacement or surgical treatment. In fact, the longer your knee remains immobile after the operation, the more the chance of developing this condition.

How to Get Rid of Scar Tissue after knee surgery?

Once surgical treatment is provided, there are frequently noticeable scars left on the operated area. Although modern knee operation treatments have an advanced level in reducing scarring visible on the skin, it is nearly impossible to be left with none.

Just how deep your scarring and the type of surgical treatment provided will impact exactly how your scar heals with time. Keeping a healthier diet plan abundant with nutrition is essential to scar healing — such as copper, vitamin A, zinc — can help in the healing process. In addition, foods rich source of supplement C will help the making of collagen also.

In fact, drinking a lot amount of water to hydrate your skin and taking plenty of rest is vital to your body healing quickly and properly with time. You can also apply specific essential natural oils on the scar, a good source for the regeneration of healthier skin. Crucial natural oils such as helichrysum, lavender, frankincense, geranium, and tea tree oils are recommended to own skin recovery characteristics. Below are some techniques to get rid of scar tissue.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial muscle is a tough membrane that protects and intertwines our muscle tissue. It’s the slim and stronger fibrous muscle connective tissue that supports and protects your muscle tissue and bones. Often injuries and scar tissue formed within the knee causes pains and tightness around the fascia. Tight and inflexible fascia limit muscle mass and joint motions. Certainly, this stiffness will contribute discomfort to joint and muscle tissue. Myofascial release therapy is just a technique to loosen the stiffness and fix it by applying gentle but steady pressure on the involved area.

An excellent approach to performing myofascial release therapy is to lie down on your stomach and put a tennis ball or roller under your thigh. Then, gradually move your leg over the roller or ball. You will need to continue this strategy frequently or after exercise so that you can see the outcome. A good time to performing myofascial release therapy is before going to bed or after a workout.

Cross Friction Massage

Cross friction, or transverse friction, is a very beneficial strategy to get rid of scar tissue, involves using one or two fingers to massage the scar tissue that has completely healed. It is carried out by massaging the adhesion or scarring in a perpendicular direction to the scar line.

This can help to renovate the scar and permits the collagen materials to align correctly. Cross friction massaging enables you to break down scar tissue formation within the leg into normal, versatile, and flexible, healthier soft tissue.

To do this method, carefully rub back and forth on the inflamed tendon of your leg where it is most tender. Make sure to keep your strokes perpendicular to the tendon’s fiber — similar to how you would strum a guitar string.

Don’t use unnecessary pressure as moderate pressure through the pads of your hands or thumb will suffice. You can increase the pressure by every 1 to 2 mins. Complete the cross friction therapeutic massage by icing your affected area for a short while or until numb.

Perform this technique for 5 to 10 minutes at any given time, 2 to 3 periods each day. Furthermore, it’s possible to incorporate smaller amounts of supplements or oils vitamin E lotion to soften scar tissue while massaging and preventing friction burns to the skin.

Scar Tissue Mobilization

Scar tissue mobilization is also a suitable method to eliminate scar tissue use by physical therapists to help split up and remodel scar tissue within the knee. This includes different types of massaging scar tissue — or its surrounding tissue such as muscle tissue, tendons, ligaments, or fascia.

Usually, this technique is performed by trained practitioners. Nevertheless, proper strategies may be taught and learned so that the patient can perform scar tissue mobilization by themselves. Learning how to break up scar tissue within the knee is essential to maintaining healthier knees after an injury or surgery.

Muscle Strengthening

Weak muscles surrounding the knee joint can overstress and perpetuate the knee. Doing weight training or strength training exercises of leg muscles, particularly the quadriceps and hamstrings, is essential in preserving healthy knees, where scar tissue is present.

Ensure that you have to do warm-up before doing any strength training — you can do jumping jacks or choose a light jog. When you start to sweat or breath more heavily, you are plenty warm; once you have warmed your muscles up, progress with light stretch. There are various forms of workouts that help build your quads muscles for optimal knee support. Constantly begin with light weights while increasing weight gradually with time — basic muscle strengthening.