Lymphatic drainage for Okotoks clients
Lymphatic drainage for Okotoks clients: Renu is about 48 km from Okotoks by Highway 2 and Deerfoot. How to plan post-op sessions, rides and longer visits.
By The Renu lymphatic and massage team · 5 min read
Renu's clinic in NW Calgary is about 48 km by road from central Okotoks, most of it on Highway 2A, Highway 2 and Deerfoot Trail, so the trip is worth planning. Okotoks clients usually come for post-op lymphatic drainage with a Certified Lymphedema Therapist or a lymphatic-trained RMT, and make each visit count with a 60 or 90-minute session and a weekend booking. In the first day after surgery, and while you take prescription pain medicine, someone else needs to drive.
For Okotoks clients, lymphatic drainage at Renu means a drive of roughly 48 km into northwest Calgary, so it pays to plan the visits rather than book them one at a time. Most people from Okotoks come to us around surgery, for post-op lymphatic drainage with a Certified Lymphedema Therapist or a lymphatic-trained RMT. Below is the route, what makes the trip worthwhile, how to get the most from each appointment, and the driving rules that apply in the days after an operation.
The route from Okotoks to 19 Street NW
The usual way in is Highway 2A to Highway 2, then north on Deerfoot Trail, west on Glenmore Trail and north on Crowchild Trail to Kensington Road NW and 19 Street NW. OpenStreetMap routing puts that at about 47.6 km from central Okotoks. We do not quote a drive time, because Deerfoot traffic swings it too much to be useful.
| Route | Main roads | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Via Deerfoot | Highway 2A, Highway 2, Deerfoot Trail, Glenmore Trail, Crowchild Trail, Kensington Road NW | about 47.6 km |
| Via the ring road | Highway 2A, Highway 2, Macleod Trail, Stoney Trail, Tsuut’ina/Sarcee Trail, 33 Avenue SW, Crowchild Trail | about 49 km |
The ring-road option adds a little distance but can help when Deerfoot is backed up. Okotoks itself sits about 38 km south of downtown Calgary in Foothills County, on the Sheep River, so you are crossing most of the city to reach us. Free street parking on 19 Street means you are not hunting for a stall at the end of it.
When the trip is worth it
A drive of nearly 50 km each way is a real commitment, especially when you are sore and swollen. It makes sense when the training of the person treating you matters, and after surgery it usually does.
- Meeghan Mackenzie founded Renu and has been an RMT since 2005. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies, trained in the Vodder and Földi methods from 2011 to 2014, completed advanced training at the Chikly Health Institute and is a Certified Compression Fitter.
- Leah Buschau is an RMT with Vodder Level One manual lymphatic drainage training.
- Our post-op sessions use light, rhythmic pressure. As Cleveland Clinic describes it, the therapist first works the lymph node areas of the neck, armpits and groin, then guides fluid from swollen tissue toward them.
Cleveland Clinic also notes that results are not always immediate. That is one more reason to plan a short series from the start rather than judge everything on the first visit. If you are wondering what that series might cost in total, see the cost of a full course of post-op lymphatic drainage.
Making each visit count
Out-of-town clients tend to do better with fewer, fuller appointments. Here are the options that suit a longer trip.
| Session | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Post-op lymphatic drainage | 45 min | $115 |
| Post-op lymphatic drainage | 60 min | $140 |
| Post-op lymphatic drainage, multiple surgeries | 90 min | $210 |
| Classic lymphatic drainage massage (pre-op) | 60 min | $130 |
Some ways to plan:
- Book a pre-op visit. A 60-minute classic lymphatic session before surgery lets you meet your therapist, find the clinic and park while you can still drive yourself.
- Choose 60 minutes after surgery if one area was treated, and 90 minutes if you had more than one procedure.
- Use the weekend. We are open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, when a driver is more likely to be free. Weekdays run 8:00 am to 8:30 pm.
- Book the series together. Reserving several appointments through Jane at once means your driver can plan around them.
We also offer a 20-minute infrared cocoon add-on ($25) to a lymphatic treatment. After surgery, heat is a question for your surgeon first; our page on infrared sauna after liposuction covers the timing.
Getting here in the first days after surgery
You will need a driver for the early visits. MyHealth Alberta’s post-surgery advice is clear on three points:
- do not drive for 24 hours after your surgery, and longer if your surgeon says so;
- do not drive while taking your prescription pain medicine;
- do not drive until you can move your arms normally and safely do a shoulder check.
After a general anaesthetic, Victoria’s Better Health Channel adds that coordination can be affected, so a relative, friend or taxi should take you home. On a 48 km highway trip, those rules matter more than they would for a short hop across town. Our page on driving to lymphatic drainage after surgery goes into the details.
If your surgeon has you in a compression garment, keep wearing it. Cleveland Clinic is explicit that lymphatic massage does not replace compression. Ask your surgeon about timing as well; when you can start lymphatic drainage after surgery explains what usually decides it.
When to check with your surgeon instead of driving in
Some symptoms mean you should call your surgeon or doctor rather than come to us. Cleveland Clinic lists situations where lymphatic drainage is avoided: blood clots or deep vein thrombosis, cellulitis or other infection, fever, heart disease, kidney failure and stroke. It is also not done directly over cancerous tissue or skin damaged by radiation.
Call your surgeon, and do not make the trip, if you notice:
- a fever, or signs of infection around an incision;
- throbbing pain and swelling in one leg, which can signal a deep vein thrombosis;
- pain that is not easing, or lasts longer than you were told to expect.
Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain needs 911, not a phone call.
Booking from Okotoks
You can book online through Jane or call 403-270-2111, and we are glad to help you map out a pre-op visit and a post-op series around your surgery date. The full menu is on the post-op lymphatic drainage page, and our guide to the first post-op session explains what to bring and wear.
Questions people ask
How far is Renu from Okotoks?
About 47.6 km from central Okotoks by Highway 2A, Highway 2, Deerfoot Trail, Glenmore Trail and Crowchild Trail, or about 49 km if you take Macleod Trail and Stoney Trail instead. The time it takes depends heavily on Deerfoot traffic, so leave room in your day.
Can I drive myself to lymphatic drainage after surgery?
Not in the first 24 hours, not while you take prescription pain medicine, and not until you can move your arms normally and shoulder check, according to MyHealth Alberta. Your surgeon may set a longer limit, so ask before you plan the trip.
Is a longer session better if I am coming from Okotoks?
Often, yes. A 60-minute post-op session ($140) gives time for the whole treated area, and the 90-minute session ($210) is built for people who had more than one procedure. Fewer, fuller visits can make more sense than several short ones when each trip is close to 50 km.
Should I book before my surgery too?
A pre-op visit is a good idea for out-of-town clients. A 60-minute classic lymphatic drainage session ($130) before surgery lets you meet your therapist and learn the clinic while you can still drive yourself.
Sources
Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.
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