Lymphedema
Exercises
For upper extremity lymphedema patients
Principle of exercise:
· It is important to exercise to enhance drainage and keep your range of motion functionally after operations
· Exercises should be pleasant & should not reach the level of fatigue.
· It should be done while wearing compression garments or bandages.
· If you have a limb at risk, wear your garment during exercise.
· Too much exercises or wrong kind of exercises can harm you, ask your therapist about the dose and time.
· Exercise ideally should be done twice per day.
Exercises should be done in 3 groups:
A: Self drainage exercises
Aim: this group of exercises helps you to drain the remaining fluid from your affected limb
1. Deep breathing exercise
Aim: it improves both lympthatic and blood circulations
Procedure:Do for one minute
-Lie down and relax with your arm elevated.
-Do deep diaphragm breathing.
-As you breathe in, your stomach should rise.
-As you breathe out, your stomach should sink.
Caution: it should be done only 5-7 times
2. Clears supraclavicular lymph nodes
Aim: stimulate and activate the working lymph nodes (both sides)
Procedure: Do 15 times, slowly.
-Place your fingers in the hollows of your neck, just above the collar bone on both sides of your neck.
-Very gently stretch the skin down towards the center of your body, keeping your hands above the collar bone.
Caution: do it gently,do not press to hard
3. Clears axillary lymph nodes
Aim: stimulate and activate the working lymph nodes (other side)
Procedure:do 15 times on unaffected side, 5 times on affected side.
-Stretch the skin over the lymph nodes in your armpit on the opposite side of the affected arm. Do that on bare skin.
-Stretch should be gentle &half a circle.
-Direction should be up and towards your neck but your hand stays in the armpit.
-Then do the same thing on the affected side.
4. Clears inguinal lymph nodes
Aim: stimulate and activate the working lymph nodes (same side)
Procedure: d o 15 times.
-Place one or both hands on the fold at the top of your leg.
-Gently and slowly scoop up towards your belly button.
-Your hands should remain in the fold at the top of your leg and do not move it over your stomach.
Caution: do it gently,do not press too hard
5. Proximal self drainage
Aim: clears and stimulate the lymph vessels that connects between your affected arm and the sound inguinal lymph nodes
Procedure: gently move your skin towards your inguinal lymph node (your hip at the same side of your affected arm)
Create a pathway1:
Aim: moves lymph fluid from your affected arm to your healthy lymphatic circulation
Procedure: -Starting in the mid line of your chest,stroke slowly and gently towards the axillary nodes (armpit) on your unaffected side.
-Gradually extend the strokes until you are stroking from the shoulder on your affected side all the way over the axillary nodes in the armpit of your unaffected side.
-Make your strokes short, soft, and slow. Do on bare skin.
Create a pathway 2:
Aim: moves lymph fluid from your affected arm to your healthy lymphatic circulation
Procedure:-Starting below your waist, gently and slowly stroke down to the bend at the top of your leg.
-Gradually go higher until you are stroking your armpit on your affected side all the way down to the inguinal nodes at the bend at the top of your leg.
-Make your strokes short, soft, and slow. Do on bare skin.