Physiotherapy for Edema and Swelling

Edema and Swelling  
Edema is our natural way of healing a hurt part; a part gets injured by trauma, and also the body will send its natural repair workers through fluids that accumulate within the localized area. Unfortunately, together with these workers, comes substances that aggravates pain and swelling too. Usually medical practitioners will prescribe anti-swelling capsulesto reduce the accumulation of fluids (an excessive amount of fluids can increase pressure and damage organs/tissues)
This delays healing and results in pain and increased stiffness, hence it compromises functional results - this is exactly why we provide edema physiotherapy management within our clinic for it. So whilst it is important that we facilitate the recovery process, we need to decrease the quantity of swelling too.
A few of the techniques and approaches that people use to manage swelling within our physiotherapy clinic:
Rest -
after a personal injury, it's really important to balance between exercising the injured joint and rest. Not enough rest, and the injury might not heal well; an excessive amount of rest and not enough exercise will result with many different stiffness and decreased flexibility. We will monitor and constantly re-evaluate both you and your body's balance to ensure best mobility and functional leads to managing the swelling.
Elevation
from the injured part ready higher than usual position (although not too high in case you can get too little blood supply towards the elevated limb) to allow gravity help with the elimination of the excess fluids within the localized area; you should use simple pillows, but as pillows might be warm or inadequate sized, you might want to consider pillow foam leg elevator
Compression 
using fingers (as with retrograde massage) or usingcompression bandage or compression stockings will 'push back' the swelling and preventing recurring.
Icing 
can be used when there is no contraindications to presenting ice such as open wounds or adverse response to cold temperatures. Icing decreases muscles spasms, and encourages the contraction from the affected area. We're amply trained with using Chattanooga cold packproducts, they're durable =)
Active Motion
provides a pump that accelerates the propulsion rate of fluids entering and leaving the affected region. It also encourages and maintains the active flexibility for the unaffected joints.