Key Points

Manual lymphatic drainage is often used in connection with orthopedic surgery to reduce swelling.

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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) seeks to reduce peripheral oedema by activating lymphatic drainage. It is often performed after orthopedic surgery to reduce swelling. There is little evidence for its efficacy.

This study used a randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of MLD on patient-reported swelling, pain, and range of motion before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Manual lymphatic drainage seeks to reduce peripheral oedema by activating lymphatic drainage however there is little evidence for its efficacy.

This study found that patients who received manual lymphatic drainage did not have different outcomes than those who didn’t, suggesting the procedure does not have any benefit.

METHODS

112 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a group that received 30-minute MLD sessions for five days before and after TKA a group that received five days of 30-minute MLD sessions after TKA but not before a

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Manual lymphatic drainage before and after total knee arthroplasty, a randomized controlled trial

Key Points

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

METHODS