How does specialist sports knee therapist use Lairlux deep tissue massage gun+ 3 at-home exercises

by Tilly Milverton / July 12, 2022

Hi, I am Tilly Milverton, specialist sports therapist , specialist in knee rehabilitation, in particular ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). I'm going to show you how I like to use the Lairlux deep tissue massage gun personally and in my clinical practice. I'm going to be running through with you on how I like to use the Lairlux massage gun on quadricep, post knee surgery or knee injury by using the flat attachment.

The quadricep can often go to sleep. The muscle starts to waste when we have any type of injury to or around the knee and the quadricep becomes guarded. We can’t work because we've got pain or swelling in that knee joint. Now, what the Lairlux massager can help us with is increasing blood flow, stimulating the quad to try to wake it up and engage the quadricep t or encourage some type of movement. I'll also show you three of my top exercises early post knee injury or knee surgery that you can do at home.

Using Lairlux massage gun on your straight leg

First, I would like you to use a massage gun on a straight leg. If we can't achieve a straight leg because we've had an injury or surgery, here are two great ways to try and increase to gain full extension.

Tip 1. Use a resistance band. Pop it around the foot and actively try to squeeze your quadricep and pull the foot up at the same time so you get a bit of a stretch on there. And then you can do some pumps and eventually you might be able to get your heel to pop.

Tip 2. Put a cushion under your heel. If for some reason you've got a sore hamstring, if you've had a hamstring graph post ACL, for example, that might be a little bit uncomfortable because of the reaching. What you can do is simply pop a cushion under your heel and just allow gravity to pull that knee into a straight position.

Second, once we've got our full extension, I would like to use Lairlux massage gun. Turn it on and set the speed up to probably 4 or 5. This is a super powerful gun. And then simply go up and down the quadricep. Allow the gun to do the work. Don't try to press it into the quad. Allow the gun to simply do the work. We need to avoid the kneecap or any area around the kneecap and we don't really want to go down the side of the thigh where you find your IT band (Iliotibial band). It's not going to benefit from being pounded or stretched. Then we work our way up the thigh, again, up and down, side to side.

Third, get your knee in a flexed position. If you have to force it or hold it with the other leg, feel free to hold it, and then do it in that flexed position. This is a really great technique, and repeat the process of doing it straight. If there's a particular area that you think that could be causing some pain or discomfort, here’s what you can do.

Suggestion: flex the leg and hold it on for 2 to 3 seconds and then relax, and then flex again. Probably take around a total of 4 to 5 minutes to complete all exercises.  - Great TM

3  top exercises early post knee injury or knee surgery that you can do at home

Once that is complete, I'm going to show you some more exercises that will increase your range of motion or the likelihood of your quadricep to wakeup, which will therefore improve your ability to walk and regain your gait. And also by gaining range of motion, it will allow swelling to move out the limb.

Exercise 1: activate your cord by using a cushion or towel

It is a great way to really activate and get our cord going. All you need to do is put a cushion or roll a towel underneath the knee. We need to squeeze the quadricep into that towel, really drive it in.

Suggestion: do 5 to 6 sets of those, holding it for around 3 seconds.  Great TM

Once we've gone from there, what we would aim to do is to lift our toes up. If you struggle with that, we can use the resistance band to achieve so. Pop it around your foot, squeeze the quadricep, just help it up on that last part of the move of the motion. Do not give the band a lot of pressure, just a slight lift.

Exercise 2: use exercise ball for early knee injury or post surgery

Another exercise I like to do early knee injury or post surgery is a simple exercise ball. You can use a softer ball for this. We just need to drive the knee into the back of the ball, avoiding movement at the hip. 

Suggestion: holding it for 2 to 3 seconds on the whole, repeat 5 to 6 times. Great TM

Exercise 3: knee extension exercise with a band

Final exercise is banded turn on knee extension. We need to drive the knee back. Tensing that quadricep on the end. Really squeezing the front thigh muscle.

Suggestion: drive that knee back, repeat 8 to 10 times. Great TM