Hi gang members
Yet another question - sorry.
I noticed that one of our members has recommended exercise on the days that you don’t wear your sleeve. I am a bit confused because my LD nurse says that I shouldn’t do my exercises unless I am wearing my sleeve.
My LD is mild. What do you ladies who know what you’re talking about recommend.
I do try and remember SLD twice a day, but what are the guidelines about exercise and sleeves.
Thanks
Andie
Hi,
I don’t think it’s that you would do any harm without the sleeve, the way I understand it is that you get more benfit from the excercises whils wearing your sleeve due to the extra resistance of the sleeve making the lymph move.
I HATE my sleeve and don’t wear it but I still do the excercises and when I see my MLD specialist she is always impressed that my arm is still soft rather than fibrous dispite not wearing the sleeve - my arm is quite big but I have found I can cope (though dislike) that better than the sleeve!!
Good luck, keep-up the excercise and if you can bare it keep up the sleeve xx
Andie, my lymphoedema nurse says the same as yours, backed up by all the leaflets and online resources I have read. Always wear the sleeve when you are exercising.
The reason being that when you exercise any bit of you, not just the arms, your heart pumps faster and stronger, blood goes round better and so more fluid oozes out into the extracellular spaces from capillaries, causing potential worsened swelling. In the rest of your body eg your legs your belly and you earlobes, the extra fluid returns via the healthy sections of the lymph system and all is well, but where there is damage this cannot happen and so your arm will swell, even if you are only twiddling your toes. The muscle contractions if you are moving your arm, help the fluid to return, but only if you are wearing the external compression sleeve.
So actually what I have been doing, mostly cycling, isn’t really as good as I had thought, I do need to be actively moving the arm in order for the sleeve to help; thanks for bringing this to my notice!
post deleted
Hi ladies, i’m only a few days post op after node clearance but am already trying hard to avoid any lymphoedema. When i feel better i was thinking about taking up swimming or Aquacise again, is this a good idea? I thought it would be good exercise for my arm.
Also do u have to have actually developed lymphoedema before u get referred to a lymphoedema clinic as i think it would be a good idea to get preventative advice as well.
thanks x
Corsets off? woohoo!!!
Swimcise is very good exercise generally as well as specifically for lymphoedema, but if you have had a mastectomy / wear a prosthesis then be sure it is well secured: I had a very embarrassing session because you do lots of vigorous sideways moves in aquarobics and the booby didn’t always keep up :oops: … have improved my boob-securing techonolgy since then but not dared go back to that pool!
If you are actually planning on doing lots of lengths-swimming then go easy, that is surprisingly hard work for the arms.
post deleted
post deleted
thanks ladies, i am just picturing Hymil’s prosthesis making it’s escape across the pool,lol. I haven’t had a mastectomy (yet!.. got to get results next week to see if got clear margins on the lumpectomy this time…Gulp!) I have chemo & rads to go through as yet so swimming won’t be a regular thing for a long time & it won’t be that energetic if i do go, im no great swimmer, more like floundering doggy paddle,lol.
Don’t worry Norbette, i am letting the OH wait on me, my arm is still really sore & stiff so can’t do a lot anyway. Drain comes out today though, whoop whoop. It’s been a pain dragging that around all week, can’t wait to get it taken out 
x
post deleted