Lymphedema is the buildup of fluid in soft body tissues that occurs when the lymph system is damaged or blocked. It causes swelling and usually affects an arm or leg. Since the lymph system has no pump, like a heart, it depends on everyday muscle movements to push fluid through the vessels. Gentle exercises can help prevent lymphedema. Speak with your doctor before you begin, and if any activity is painful, stop.
Normal Activities
Cancer patients who undergo lymph node removal in an arm or leg are at increased risk for lymphedema in that limb. The health resource site Imaginis.com recommends using the affected limb in normal activities such as dressing or bathing to help prevent the lymphedema. Household chores are another way to exercise affected limbs and help keep fluid from building up.
Aerobic Activities
The National Cancer Institute says that aerobic exercise can help the lymph system move lymph fluid away from affected limbs. Low-impact activities like walking and swimming are safe and effective when done gently and smoothly. Aim for cardiovascular activity three times per week.
Light Arm Exercises
Simple arm movements are good for bodily fluid circulation. One such exercise is to clasp your hands behind your neck or head, pull your elbows as far backward as you can, then bring them forward to touch in front. Another exercise is to place your hands on your shoulders, on the same side of your body, and move your elbows upward and downward. From that same starting position, you can also move your elbows in large circles. Use as full a range of motion as you can without pain, and go slowly and evenly. You can do five in a row of each exercise three times a day.
Weight-Lifting Exercises
Kathryn Schmitz, Ph.D., assistant professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, recommends weight-lifting exercises to prevent lymphedema -- as long as you start slowly, such as with 1-lb. weights, and only gradually increase the weight you lift with the affected limb. Start with small exercises like bicep curls or knee raises, and progress to larger ones like shoulder presses or leg lifts when you're ready. When you can do three sets of 10 repetitions with proper form and no difficulty, increase the weight by the smallest possible increment. Dr. Schmitz and her team used this structure in a study following 141 women with a history of breast cancer and lymphedema, published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in August 2009, and they found that the number and severity of symptoms were decreased in women who performed weight-lifting exercises twice per week for one year.
