Gender Affirming Surgery Rehabilitation
At Ottawa Cancer and Lymphatics Centre, we are proud to offer compassionate, inclusive, and expert care for individuals preparing for or recovering from gender affirming surgery.
Whether you’re navigating early recovery, managing changes months or years post-op, or seeking guidance along your surgical journey, our team is here to support you with respect and clinical excellence. Gender affirming surgeries can bring meaningful physical, emotional, and functional changes. Our role is to help you heal with confidence, manage symptoms, and restore ease in your body through personalized, one-on-one care.
Our team provides holistic care tailored to your goals and surgical procedures, including:
- Top surgery (mastectomy, breast augmentation)
- Bottom surgery (vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, metoidioplasty, vulvoplasty, scrotoplasty)
- Facial feminization/masculinization
- Body contouring surgeries
We provide customized, hands-on care to help you recover more comfortably and safely from gender affirming procedures. Our team offers:
- Physiotherapy: Our physiotherapists guide you through recovery with mobility and strength exercises, advice and education, and various manual therapy strategies to support healing and prevent complications like stiffness, guarding, or postural imbalances.
- Massage Therapy: Affirming and respectful therapeutic massage can reduce pain, decrease swelling, and support nervous system regulation. Post-surgical massage can also ease fascial tension and promote lymphatic health.
- Kinesiology: Our kinesiologists develop gradual, confidence-building movement programs that help restore strength, range of motion, and physical comfort post-surgery. Your plan is tailored to your pace and long-term goals.
- Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy: Pelvic health physiotherapy is especially beneficial after bottom surgeries. We help with pelvic pain, scar mobility, bowel/bladder concerns, and restoring pelvic muscle coordination in a safe, affirming space.
- Scar Management: We provide manual therapy and education to help scars heal smoothly, improve mobility, and minimize discomfort. Scar care is integrated into your overall recovery plan.
- Laser Therapy: Low-level laser therapy supports healing by reducing scar visibility, managing neuropathic pain, improving tissue texture, and supporting lymphatic drainage.
- Lymphatic Massage and Swelling Management: Our certified therapists provide manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), compression fitting, and education to manage post-op swelling.
- Psychotherapy: Mental and emotional wellness is an essential part of healing. Our gender-affirming therapists provide supportive care for navigating identity, transition, and the emotional impact of surgery.
You deserve to feel strong, supported, and comfortable in your body. Whether you’re just starting your journey or adjusting long after surgery, our team is here to support you every step of the way.
