I loved your very good talk on lymphedema and exercise. At the end someone asked if there were specific lymphatic exercises and you said there were not. However, in 2019, my physical therapist gave me a handout with specific lymphatic exercises so, I am guessing someone did their homework in this area and developed some chair exercises. They are about movement, and a slight amount of resistance ,(lifting the limb, allowing gravity to give resistance), and of course, beginning and ending the 10 minute session with the deep belly breaths to get the lymph moving. My particular program was for lower leg swelling and these exercises are helpful. However, I did find that actual walking for one, two, or three miles is even more effective!
One year out from double mastectomy and 17 bad lymph nodes being removed from right armpit!! I also had 27 chest wall radiation burns!! I got out and by summer I mowed my acre all by myself and tried to swim every day! I also did my drainage massage! I painted 2 decks, dining room, kitchen, and 2 bathrooms! Even with fatigue and shortness of breath, I have come a long way!! I am an RN and will be 70 this month! I did get one infection last week in my arm from over stretching! Reminded me to wear my sleeve more! I can tell everyone to get up and move! Lots of water and great food!!
Thank you, Susie Pingleton - you and I are almost the same, so you have given me some hope! (I am 2 years younger, have no radiation burns that I know of and "only" had 14 lymph nodes removed.) I have three sleeves - all of which have gone missing because I wear them so infrequently. Fatigue is all-encompassing. No grass to mow, but kayaking replaces that. (I also throw things in the 65 to 69 year old category of masters track and field - although not since COVID-19 started.) Unfortunately, typing made my hands swell beforehand and still does. With more swelling on the lymph node deficient side.
@@JaneW45 oh my gosh!! I am praying for you!! We stay in the day and experience it! I had 21 taken out with 19 bad. (Lymph nodes). My arm is doing great! In habit of draining for 3 1/2 years. Saw on RU-vid years ago and stayed with it! I did not do chemo but did 27 radiation treatments to right chest and armpit! I am an RN. Knew too much! One of my dear friends is a year ahead of me. Exactly same case!!! 19 bad lymph nodes too. Fatigue is her main problem! Her faith is strong! She is 68? So we are making a difference!
Thanks Nicole, Brilliant and clear discussion about the difference between physical activity and exercise. Nicole talks about the importance of knowing that sometimes physical activity ( eg shoveling snow for the first time in the season) can roll into exercise - and that these tasks need to be planned better to reduce risk of injury and overload. Great presentation!
Thank you so much for excellent video, and info. I have been informed with knowledge and understand my leg lymphedema in a more positive way. And I will keep up my Exercises.
Loved everything you say husband.had.a.stroke paralysed the right.side lymphedema.lots.of.treatment.over.the.years.and.surgery.etcreal.battle.ans.struggle.thanks for.your.encouragement💐💐🌷🌷🎈🎈
Garlic doesn't necessarily work for me. More frequent bowel movements do seem to work and good food with fiber, garlic etc. seems to help. Massages helped at first but not once it progressed. What has helped me is pressure on the foot that connects to the Liver and releases it. Foot massage is more productive to me than even the limb. Compression helps at first but not for me as it progressed. But I use swimming as natural compression AND gentle massage and this has worked the best
She is incorrect about specific types of exercise...whatever limb you have it in or all(like me) you imagine a pump and move the limb thereby pumping the fluid. If it is your legs, rotate the ankle up down, side to side and around as much as it will gently stretch. Same with the whole leg. I do this in the pool and do "lunges" or bring my knees up. After I do this, the lymph moves more. It makes me pee alot and is how I know it's working. I will release fluid and can always see the results the following day. Also breathing exercise are important and keep the body pumping blood which helps move lymph too. These are just a few examples.
Rotate ankles, gently stretch achilles, stretch hamstring gently. Like runners stretches. All gentle. I do it in the pool, then I bring knee as far up as possible. These help me greatly...all gentle and I do them with the aid of water when possible. It helps pump the fluid out. NO WEIGHTs, not torquing joints, just straight up and down movement. Not for long periods of time.
@@kangarookids7497 Thank you. Good to know. I did use a trampoline early on. Swimming is the best so far and I have a zero gravity massage chair that helps.
But ice the fact I have lymphedema I saw a therapist and she said it’s a possibility after my two knee surgeries in the last year that that’s what all my swelling is around my knee and my thighs my orthopedic surgeon says there is absolutely no sign of lymphedema where do I go from here thank you
Ask your surgeon about "EDEMA", rather than "lymphedema". My physiotherapist explained that I had lymphedema in my arm (from lymph nodes being removed due to breast cancer), but I had edema in my ankle/leg (from an unknown cause).
To me, exercising does no good at all. I think that f.ex. riding bicycles is very risky because one is sitting right on the lymphatic system. Exercising does cause swelling.
I disagree with this presentation for those of us with advanced Lymphedema...all of my joints will swell even when doing Yoga, swelling can happen from too many stairs. I have found my day has to guided by how many repetitions of each type of movement or exercise. I liked it to Skittles in a jar. I have 25 overall, 5 green are climbing stairs, 5 yellow are housekeeping, 5 blue are for the store,5 red are for enforced sitting like the car, 5 green are for personal care or aerobic activity or extra shopping or...BUT not and. Showing weight lifters or extreme sports people are not inspiring and only create a feeling of defeat. I COULD weight lift but ONLY if I did Nothing Else but prepare for that, do that and decompress after that. Most people's lives include activities that already task our condition. I know not to sit too much because that can cause swelling as well. Overall an informative presentation but focus on unlikely scenarios of stairs and the gym is not helpful either physically or psychologically. I wish people that actually have the condition speak to their successes is more relative than third party "suggestions". What is "hydrate well"? I've heard two physical therapists say this on this videos. For someone with Lymphedema , it means 32oz minimum and up to 72 per day. This is the type of important information people need to know. Exercise time...I have about a 20 minute swell window and can't go past 45 minutes when swimming, for example...I have to make sure I eat the right kinds of food in order to poop 2-3 times a day for the best lymph movement along with peeing as often as possible. But I also have to make sure that when I am sitting my legs are elevated. I can't sit for more than one hour at a time or I will swell...Therefore, I can't watch movies anymore from a seated position. I have to be able to pause and get up and walk around. So movie theaters are out. I get an aisle seat when flying because I have to get up and move around. IF I use compression garments too long, then my heart begins to swell. I can only use them an hour or less at a time. Everyone is different but real antidotal experiences are needed to group us properly. I found your presentation helpful to a beginner or maybe mild case or for just one limb but not for severe or advanced cases...
@@arleenwhittier356 Not sure if your talking about me or the nurse? I have Advanced Stage II Lipo-Lymphedema and I did not agree with the nurse on several points in her presentation.
You can exercise lying on your back,when I get home from work I lay down on my bed and move my legs and try to massage them some,I stand on my feet all day and I admit I do not have bad swelling but enough that it bothers me,everyone is different ,please don't get discouraged because you have more to deal with,just do the best you can
