Exrcise
Remedial exercises with the short stretch compression bandages donned are essential in your treatment and management of your lymphedema as they:
- Strengthen the lymphangion muscle/joint contraction: strengthening helps to prevent the reaccumulation of lymphatic fluid and makes the entire system more "efficient".
- Exercises in conjunction with the compression bandages helps to break up the scar tissue and helps re-establish normal muscle and skin tone.
- Massage and exercise increase the lymphatic pulse frequency by 6 to 10 times in normal subjects and this corresponds to an increase in lymph flow (measured as protein removal) with the use of short-stretch compression bandages. It has subsequently been established that following exercise the uptake (removal of excess protein) continues even after exercise has stopped. In short, exercise helps your body remove the lymphatic fluid faster, more efficiently and with longer lasting results.
Provide Secondary Benefits besides physiologic efficiency:
- It contributes significantly to a more positive psychological state of mind and a higher compliancy rate in long-term self management of lymphedema.
- Normal movements and exercise are not only an excellent way of causing variations in total tissue pressure, but are also best from the point of view of contributing to normalizing a patientÂ’s roles and occupations concomitant with lymphedema.
- As part of a self-management program, exercise emphasizes what a woman can do rather than what she cannot do, so that she no longer is forced to choose between managing her arm and returning to a normal, active lifestyle.