Well+Able

Something that doesn’t get talked about enough before joint replacement surgery:
What you believe about your pain going in matters.
Studies have found that higher pre-surgical fear and catastrophizing about pain is an independent predictor of poorer outcomes after knee replacement — separate from the surgery itself.
This connects to what OA pain researcher Tasha Stanton has shown consistently: the nervous system’s response to threat, shaped by our beliefs about pain and movement, doesn’t automatically reset after an operation.
Addressing those beliefs before surgery — alongside building strength and fitness — is part of what prehab is for.
We’ve written about what that preparation looks like and where massage therapy fits in.
🔗 wellandable.ca/resources/blog/preparing-for-knee-hip-replacement-kamloops

One of the most useful things massage therapy can do for OA isn’t just the hands-on work.
It’s the conversation.
Research by Tasha Stanton and colleagues has consistently shown that fear of movement is a major driver of inactivity in people with knee OA and inactivity tends to make symptoms worse over time.
A care environment that addresses those fears, reassures honestly, and treats you as an individual (not a diagnosis) matters alongside the soft tissue work.
We’ve written about how we approach OA at Well+Able —> what we do, and what to expect.
🔗 wellandable.ca/resources/blog/massage-therapy-osteoarthritis-kamloops

Can massage therapy help with osteoarthritis?
Well, it depends on what you’re asking it to do.
The evidence shows that massage can support short-term improvements in pain, stiffness, and function for people with knee OA. A 2024 systematic review of 25 studies found positive pain relief outcomes, with better results when treatment ran longer than four weeks. No serious adverse effects were reported.
What it doesn’t do is replace exercise, change joint structure, or work well as a stand-alone long-term strategy. The strongest evidence for OA still points to movement and education as the foundation.
Our latest post covers where massage fits, what an assessment-led appointment looks like at Well+Able, and who it’s most likely to help.
🔗 wellandable.ca/resources/blog/massage-therapy-osteoarthritis-kamloops