Lymphedema
C: Range of motion exercises
Aim: this group of exercises helps to maintain your shoulder range of motion, and improves both lymphatic and blood circulations.
1. Curl ups:
Aim: improve circulation all over the body
Procedure: Alternative to shoulder curve.
Do 5 times.
-Lie with your knees bent and your hands resting on the top of your thighs.
-Take a deep breath in.
-As you breathe out strongly with a "huff", run your hands up towards
your knees.
2.
Head rolls:
Procedure:Do 5 times in each direction.
-Put a rolled up towel behind your neck. Holding into both sides.
-Breathe in deeply.
-As you breathe out, slowly roll your head to the side, back, to the other side
and back up.
-The towel should support your neck as you do this.
-Take a deep breath in and repeat, going in the opposite direction
3.
Shoulder
shrugs:
-Shrug your shoulders to your ears (as shown in the picture from right to left )
- Hold tightly for 2-3 seconds
- Still holding tightly rotate your shoulders
back (you should feel a stretch in the pectoralis muscles or chest
muscles)
- Then relax them down into normal position. Repeat for 10 repetitions for best results .
4.
Shoulder
circles:
Procedure: Do 5 times in each direction.
-Take a deep breath in.
-As you breathe out, move your shoulders in a circle up, forward, down, back.
-Take a deep breath in.
-As you breathe out, move your shoulders in a circle in the opposite direction:
up, back, down, forward.
5. P.N.F. :
Flexion , abduction external rotation
Procedure: This exercise would be done better infront of a mirror.
Start by standing against the wall with your hand at your opposite hip, move
your shoulder upwards while rotating your arm outwards as seen in picture.
Flexion, adduction, internal rotation
Procedure:Same staring position.
-Start with your arm away from your body (as seen in the picture) move it
closer to your body while rotating it towards your opposite shoulder.
