Exercise and Movement

By Melanie Thomas, National Clinical Lead Lymphoedema, Welsh Government

This article is taken from the Autumn 2014 issue of LymphLine, the LSN’s quarterly newsletter available to all LSN members. For details of how to become a member, click here.

It does not seem that long ago that Wales, like many other countries, was struggling to support people with lymphoedema. Through continued political pressure and increasing awareness and communication, inequity of lymphoedema service provision ceased in 2011. The development of the Welsh Lymphoedema Network enabled all people with lymphoedema to be assessed and treated, regardless of where they resided in Wales. We currently have seven Health Boards in Wales and seven Lymphoedema services. Each is managed by a Clinical Lead lymphoedema therapist and the whole network is overseen by me, the National Clinical Lead. As part of our lymphoedema development programme, Lymphoedema Network Wales has created exercise leaflets that we are willing to share with the LSN for patient benefit.

Exercise is vital in lymphoedema management. Exercise is not just about putting on a pair of trainers and going to a gym, it’s much more. In Wales we are focussing more on movement, activity and exercise. Moving your body will help the muscles pump lymph fluid through the body. Exercise helps you improve and maintain flexibility and keep your bones strong. Being more active helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and it may improve your emotional wellbeing. Moving your body and exercising decreases stress and frustrations, as well as people who exercise, are generally happier! Exercise also improves your metabolism, increases your concentration and decreases your chances of other diseases such as heart problems.

Tips for Patients with Lymphoedema

• Wear your compression garment or bandages when exercising to get the best out of the muscle pump action
• Do a little every day and build up to about 30 minutes of activity, 5 days a week
• Set yourself personal and achievable goals. Sometimes keeping a record of how much activity you do can be beneficial
• Pace yourself, use your common sense; listen to your body when it says ‘I am tired’
• Drink plenty of water
• Wear sensible clothing and shoes
• Do not exercise if you feel unwell
• Make moving your body a part of your life

Ideas for Moving

• Walking on the spot, walking with or without a pet, walk to a friend’s home, walking groups
• Parking further away from the shop entrance; getting off at an earlier bus stop
• Cleaning the house
• Hide the remote control for the television
• Gardening and even shopping
• Activities like jogging, cycling, bowling or dancing
• Water activities such as walking in the water, aqua aerobics, swimming
• Vibration plates such as the Power Plate and VibroGym have proved to be beneficial in patients with lymphoedema
• ‘Fun’ exercise can be using a console (Wii, Xbox or similar) with games that allow you to play sports whilst sitting down

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises help to move lymph fluid around the body. This is an easy activity to do and helps with relaxation and reducing stress.

• Sit or lie down with your shoulders relaxed and hands resting below your ribs
• Breathe in and feel your stomach rising (imagine a balloon inflating under your hands)
• Slowly breathe out and press gently inwards with your hands
• Repeat five times

Specific Exercises for Upper Limb Lymphoedema

• Repeat 5 times both sides
• You can increase the number of repetitions as you get stronger

Remember, exercise does not have to be vigorous it’s about making exercise a daily part of your life. Walk more, use the stairs instead of the lift – basically move your body. Even people who cannot easily walk can gain excellent benefits if they do chair exercises or just stepping on the spot holding on to the sink. Small amounts of change add up and become a big change in your own self-management of lymphoedema. Start small, I know patients who started a walking group and now regularly run 5K every week. Raise funds for the LSN by doing a charity fun walk. This could be the start of a new, fitter, you, which will help your lymphoedema both physically and you mentally.

Next article: Obesity and lymphoedema

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