Shiatsu After Surgery: How It Can Support Your Body’s Recovery
Updated: Sep 28
One of the consequences of any operation is how it affects the energetics of your entire body afterwards. This is something that a vast majority of people simply don’t think about. From my own experience, from having metal put into one ankle to recovering from a simple break in the other, I became very aware of how the body copes after trauma.
I’ve had many new clients who have come for a treatment months after their original operation, still suffering from unexplained pain or discomfort:
A woman left in pain after breast reduction surgery.
A lady preparing to have a hysterectomy who was already thinking about having shiatsu afterwards to help with the effects of the gas used during her laparoscopy, which can cause excruciating pain through the upper body.
A client left feeling as though his entire body was in shock after having a needle inserted into his eye, along with all the anxiety associated with it.
Many women left with long-term chronic pain throughout the abdomen following a caesarean or hysterectomy.
An older client left with a stiff spine after an old back injury and surgery, with the resulting scar tissue affecting how he moved.
Even one of my dogs, after a full hysterectomy, wanted endless shiatsu for weeks following her operation. It isn’t just us humans; animals who have undergone invasive surgery can benefit from gentle, supportive bodywork too.
The list goes on, and also includes people who have residual nerve damage following surgery. When you first book with me, one of the questions I ask is whether you’ve had any operations, either recently or at any time in the past.
Today I want to delve into why having shiatsu after an operation can be so helpful.
Your body has a lot of healing to do
There are so many factors involved in healing after an operation or accident that it can leave you completely exhausted. Recovery time depends on your individual health, the type of operation you’ve had and how much your body has been through.
I’ve experienced this a few times now.
Your brain feels like it’s wading through sludge, your body doesn’t move like it used to, and you suddenly enjoy watching bland TV like never before… and sleep. A lot!
Many people expect to be ‘up and about’ within days or a couple of weeks of an operation, giving little thought to the processes their body is going to go through afterwards.
And why would you?
If you’ve never experienced major surgery before, and the people around you or the websites you’ve read haven’t really explained how you might feel afterwards, you can get quite a shock when it hits. You don’t necessarily bounce back as you once did. As we enter our 40s and beyond, recovery can take longer and our bodies often need more support.
There are certain types of operations which are less invasive than others. If you move to the limbs from the torso, for example, a knee or hip operation can be very different from abdominal surgery. You can also exercise and strengthen muscles before a planned joint operation to help support your recovery afterwards.
Even so, when my clients return to shiatsu after surgery, there is normally energetic work not only to be done around the knee or hip, but also to rebalance the pelvis and help realign their gait. And, as always, I’ll find at the very least a ‘pocket’ that needs some intense healing, as well as looking at how the energy is flowing through the Chinese meridians.
So let’s look at a couple of the ways an operation can affect the body.
Cutting across the meridians
Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it?
But when you are opened up, the surgeon may cut through skin, muscle, fascia and sometimes bone. There may also be nerve damage, although obviously surgeons take great care to avoid this wherever possible.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, however, there is another layer to consider. The trauma of surgery affects the physical layers of the body, and it can also disrupt the energetic pathways that shiatsu works with. Inflammation following surgery can affect movement and circulation, scar tissue can restrict how tissues glide, and the nervous system itself can remain in a heightened state after a traumatic event.
You may notice that an area feels weak, too cold, inflexible, brittle, numb or tender.
If these issues persist, shiatsu can help support the body as it works to restore movement, connection and balance.
Even if you’ve simply had a fall, there can be a shock pattern left in the body which, over time, may contribute to inflexibility, guarded movement and a fear of having another accident; particularly as we get older and naturally become more cautious.
Shiatsu works with the body to reconnect these elements, calm the nervous system and encourage the flow of energy again, helping you feel stronger and more revitalised. After each shiatsu treatment following my own ankle operation, I felt I could walk ‘that much better’. After the first treatment, it actually felt as though my foot was in the right place at the end of my leg rather than stuck out to one side.
There wasn’t a physically noticeable change that anyone else would have seen. It was more the undoing of the energetic mess my ankle was in, and suddenly it felt much less weak and unstable to stand on.
Your kidneys, energy and post-operative fatigue
Anaesthetic takes a toll on the body, and the older you are, the more operations you’ve had, or the longer you’re under anaesthetic, the more important recovery and replenishment become.
This goes for animals too!
As our dog got older, we always asked how long she would be under anaesthetic and whether the procedure could be shortened. She made it to 17½, despite having more operations than any previous dog we’d owned, and I was always on hand with post-operative support.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, your Kidney energy is regarded as being at the root of your vitality. Life gradually takes its toll on this reserve, which is why maintaining it is considered so important for keeping the body strong and resilient.
Having regular shiatsu before an operation can therefore be a useful part of maintaining your overall wellbeing. If your body is moving well, your nervous system is regulated, your breathing is good and you’re well nourished, you are giving yourself a better foundation from which to recover.
After an operation, once you feel you’re over the initial acute symptoms and your medical team is happy with your recovery, it can be useful to consider supportive bodywork.
If you’ve had keyhole surgery and are left with significant discomfort from the gas used during the procedure, gentle shiatsu may also be helpful as part of your recovery.
I’ve mentioned essential oils here because I’ve used them mainly with my dogs as part of their post-operative support. With humans, however, essential oils need to be used appropriately, particularly after surgery, and they aren’t suitable for everyone.
The basics of recovery matter too: hydration, good nutrition, supporting your gut after antibiotics and managing constipation caused by strong painkillers.
I often recommend a good probiotic such as Microbz to help support gut health, alongside foods such as parsley and celery (kidney support) plus adequate fibre and electrolyte fluid for colon and bladder . Psyllium husk can also help with constipation for some people, provided it is taken with plenty of water and is appropriate for them.
And, of course, a shiatsu!
Shiatsu is also about prevention
Shiatsu, at its heart, is a preventative treatment.
The aim isn’t simply to wait until something goes wrong and then try to fix it. Regular bodywork can help you become more aware of how your body moves, where you hold tension and where things are beginning to feel out of balance.
Keeping good joint health, for example, may help you stay mobile and potentially reduce some of the problems that can eventually lead to joint surgery.
I once worked with a client who was due to have her tonsils removed because she suffered from continuous sore throats. Once she began to understand the connection between her physical symptoms, stress and difficulties around communication, her sore throats ceased.
Shiatsu isn’t just about receiving an amazingly relaxing treatment. It’s about becoming more aware of how and why things manifest in your body, and recognising those patterns so that you can support your own health.
Shiatsu, and its many attributes, bridges somatic work with traditional Chinese medicine to empower you to take a more active role in your own wellbeing.
Post-operative gas and abdominal discomfort
Keyhole surgery does minimise recovery time in some respects and generally involves smaller incisions than traditional open surgery. However, it can leave you in considerable pain in the short term. During laparoscopic surgery, gas is introduced into the abdomen to create space for the surgeon to work. Some of that gas can remain afterwards and cause discomfort, bloating and referred pain, particularly around the shoulders and upper body.
This can be surprisingly painful.
If you then reach for strong painkillers, you can also end up dealing with constipation, creating a rather unpleasant cycle to get caught up in.
This is where gentle shiatsu can sometimes be helpful.
In Chinese medicine, we talk about the movement of ‘Wind’ through the body. Through gentle stretching of pivotal channels, holding other meridians for support and working with the breath, shiatsu can encourage movement and help the body release tension.
I’ve also used peppermint essential oil by asking clients to inhale it, where appropriate. The combination of breath, gentle movement and meridian work can help shift that feeling of everything being stuck.
Momentarily uncomfortable? Yes.
But the relief can also be remarkable.
Can I have shiatsu with chemo?
Yes you can; shiatsu will be incredibly gentle and incase you hadn't realised fully clothed. Also after radiation therapy has finished. Shiatsu will help ease the side effects of both and I may be able to offer holistic options to help you feel physically and emotionally better. You can always call a shiatsu practitioner in advance of booking to chat about whether this is right for you. I've supported my clients through cancer treatments.
Why I choose shiatsu after surgery
The beauty of a shiatsu treatment is that it is tailored to what your body needs on the day. It’s gentle, supportive and adaptable. It isn’t about forcing the body to do something before it is ready; it’s about listening to what your body is telling you and working with it.
And after my own operations, I honestly wouldn’t choose any other treatment to help my mind, body and energy recover. So don’t necessarily wait until after an operation to think about shiatsu.
Regular shiatsu can support your body before you get to that point, helping you maintain mobility, manage muscle tension, support relaxation and become more aware of the signals your body is giving you.
It can be particularly useful for issues such as joint pain, muscle tension, digestive problems, migraines, anxiety, fatigue, stress, menopausal symptoms and the physical effects of emotional stress.
Shiatsu gently works with the body; as the body relaxes, the mind can receive the signal that it is safe to rest and let go.
For me, that’s what shiatsu is all about.
A complete mind, body and spirit makeover.
Contact Andrea if you'd like to find out more. Shiatsu is a preventative therapy and can be received regularly like you would a massage.
Shiatsu Bodyworks: Gentle bodywork to make your body work better
Comments