Are your limbs swollen? Simple exercises that bring relief from lymphedema

Do you feel a heaviness or swelling in your arm, leg, or anywhere else in your body? You may have experienced this, especially after surgery or radiation for a condition like cancer. This could be caused by a condition called lymphedema. So let's talk about it in simple terms today. Don't worry, there are things we can do to control it.

Simply put, what is lymphedema?

Imagine that our body has a special drainage system that removes waste products. We call this the lymphatic system . The fluid that flows through this system is called lymph fluid. This system has lymph vessels and lymph nodes . These act as filters in our body, removing germs and waste products and helping to keep the body healthy.

Now imagine, for some reason, for example, when several lymph nodes are removed during surgery, or when they are damaged due to radiation therapy, this drainage system becomes blocked. Then the lymph fluid cannot flow properly and gets stuck in one place. This is when the lymph fluid accumulates in one place and causes swelling, which we call lymphedema.

This condition is most commonly seen in the arms and legs, but can sometimes occur on the chest wall, abdomen, neck, or genital areas.

So is it good to exercise at a time like this?

In the past, people at risk of lymphedema were advised to avoid exercise. But new research has now found that this belief is wrong. In fact, proper exercise can go a long way in controlling this condition.

• Reduces risk: A study conducted on women who underwent breast cancer surgery found that those who did resistance training had a lower risk of developing lymphedema.
• Controls the condition: Strengthening exercises have also been found to reduce the severity of symptoms in people who already have lymphedema.

If your doctor says, "Okay, you can do these exercises," let's look at three very simple, yet beneficial exercises you can do at home.

Try these simple exercises you can do at home.

Before and after doing these exercises, do some deep abdominal breathing. This will help with lymph flow. You shouldn't feel any pain while doing them. Do them slowly, listening to your body.

1. Exercise: “Pretend Swimming”

This exercise is very helpful in managing lymphedema in your arms.

• First, sit on a chair. Place your hands together at chest level.
• Now, as if you were doing a breaststroke while swimming in water, bring your arms straight forward, spread them out to the sides, and then bring them back to where you started.
• Do this slowly about 5 to 10 times . If it seems difficult, do it with your hands slightly lower.
• Next, place your hands on your knees. Now, lift one arm up and rotate it backwards, as if you were doing a backstroke. Then do the same with the other arm.
• Do it alternately, about 5-10 times on each side .
• Once you get used to it, you can do the exercise more slowly or use light weights.

2. Exercise: Trunk Side Bends

This helps with lymphedema in the arms or chest. When starting the exercise, start on the side that is most swollen.

• Sit comfortably in a chair.
• Raise one of your arms straight above your head.
• Now bend your body in the opposite direction to the side where you raised your hand, stretching it out. Hold this position for 3 to 5 breaths . You should feel a good stretch on the side where you raised your hand.
• Stand up straight again.
• Do this 8-10 times on one side .
• Once you can do this easily, you can increase the pull by bending a little deeper.

3. Exercise: Neck Rotations

This is a very simple exercise. It helps with lymph drainage in our collarbone area.

• Sit in a chair and slowly turn your head to one shoulder. Then turn it to the other shoulder.
• Do this slowly about 8-10 times on each side .
• As you turn your neck from side to side, pause at that end for 1-2 seconds . You should feel a slight stretch.
• Once you can do this easily, you can increase the range of motion a little more and turn your head completely around.