Aqua lymphatic therapy is typically used as a recovery tool for women who have suffered breast or gynecological cancer. Lymphedema is the condition that occurs in one or more of your extremities after treatment, causing swelling and discomfort due to accumulation of lymph fluid. Your lymphatic system is part of your body's circulatory system and acts to filter metabolic waste from your body. Aqua lymphatic therapy offers several benefits to help you feel like yourself again. Consult with your therapist before you attempt any aqua lymphatic exercises.
Benefits
While performing lymphatic exercises in a pool, the viscosity of the water provides you with resistance that will increase muscle strength and improve lymph drainage. The exercise accelerates the pumping of your lymphatic vessels, says Supportive Oncology.
Features
Aqua lymphatic therapy consists of exercises performed in a pool as directed by a therapist. It is an active form of exercise, meaning the patient performs the movements with no physical help from her therapist. Sessions are often self-directed, with one group session per week, where your physical therapist will often measure the girth of your affected limbs before and after the exercise. This helps a patient track and modify her individual exercise sessions and shows how efficient the exercise session has been, according to Supportive Oncology. A lower measurement after the session would indicate drainage of lymph fluid from the affected limb.
Water
The actual water that you exercise in can play a role in the prevention of lymphedema. It is wise to use thermoneutral heat in the pool because water is a conductor of heat. The ideal temperature range for aqua lymphatic therapy is between 31 and 33.5 degrees Celsius, or 87.8 to 92.3 degrees Fahrenheit, Supportive Oncology explains.
Movements
The movements of aqua lymphatic therapy can engage either your upper or lower body, depending which area is affected. In a standing position, hold your arms out in front of your body with your palms down and breathe deeply to clear your lymph reservoir. Clear out your axillary lymph nodes by crossing your arms and squeezing from your chest with your hands into your armpits. Other effective aquatic movements include basic side bends with one arm elevated overhead, or sitting down on the bottom of the pool as you hold your breath so you are submerged, with your arms raised up over your head.
Considerations
Aqua lymphatic therapy sessions are prescribed in addition to other stretching and strengthening exercises and will typically be performed for about an hour once a week. You will continue to wear compression garments in the water at your therapist's request and will be advised to apply a silicone cream before you get in the water to protect your skin from chafing and possible infection. Once your compression sleeve gets wet, it will provide more compression and may help the swelling subside even more, suggests Saskia Thiadens, R.N., as quoted on BreastCancer.org.
