For the Health of It: Knee replacement issues and treatments

Tyler Ryan and Hima Dalal discuss knee replacements and issues that can arise

COLUMBIA SC (WOLO) –

Complications After Total Knee Replacement (TKR)
While most patients recover well, complications can occur, and they broadly fall into several
categories:

1. Surgical / Mechanical Complications
● Infection (superficial or deep) → swelling, redness, drainage, fever.
● Prosthesis loosening or wear → pain, instability.
● Periprosthetic fracture → bone breaking around the implant.
● Malalignment → uneven gait or limb length issues.
● Patellar (kneecap) problems → tracking issues or dislocation.
● Hardware failure → rare but possible if components break.

2. Vascular and Nerve Complications
● Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) → swelling, pain, risk of pulmonary embolism.
● Nerve injury → numbness, weakness, foot drop.

3. Functional and Soft Tissue Complications
● Joint stiffness (arthrofibrosis) → scar tissue limiting motion.
● Chronic pain → sometimes due to nerve sensitization, not hardware.
● Muscle weakness and atrophy → from disuse.
● Swelling and lymphedema → especially if circulation is compromised.

4. Psychological and Emotional Impact
● Anxiety, depression, fear of movement (kinesiophobia), frustration with slow recovery.

How Hima Dalal Integrative Health Approaches
Rehabilitation
Hima Dalal Integrative Health blends evidence-based occupational therapy with complementary
techniques to address the whole person — physical, emotional, mental, and energetic.

Integrated Therapy Interventions

Complication / Problem Integrated Therapy Approach

Stiffness, scar tissue

Crystal Myofascial Release (CMFR) to soften
adhesions, restore tissue glide, and reduce nerve
pressure.

Muscle weakness, imbalance

Targeted occupational and physical therapy
exercises, yoga-based stretching, and functional
retraining.

Pain (neuropathic, chronic)

Energy medicine (Reiki, ShivYog healing),
craniosacral therapy, guided relaxation to
downregulate pain pathways.

Swelling, lymphedema

Manual therapy, lymphatic drainage techniques, and
positioning education.

Fear, anxiety, emotional distress

Meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques,
affirmations to reduce stress, improve pain tolerance,
and support healing.

Limited functional independence

Task-specific occupational therapy, adaptive
strategies, and graded activity training.

Why Integrative Rehabilitation Matters
● Supports faster tissue healing.
● Reduces pain and inflammation without over-reliance on medications.
● Improves body awareness and alignmentfor safer movement.

● Addresses emotional blocks that can slow physical recovery.
● Provides individualized care — treating the person, not just the knee.
Hima Dalal Integrative Health
For appointments, consultations, or more information, reach out to us:
Website:
www.himadalalintegrativehealth.com
Email:
info@himadalalintegrativehealth.com