Swimming to reduce leg lymphedema …
For years I have told people with leg lymphedema that the best exercise to reduce swelling is swimming. Why? There are a few reasons why swimming is the best exercise.
One, because you are horizontal when swimming instead of vertical and your leg is under your torso. This is similar to when you are lying down or raising your leg to reduce swelling.
Two, when swimming, body fluids are circulating. The movement of the limbs and muscles creates a force to move fluids throughout the body. The kicking motion when swimming helps flush fluids out of the leg. Your blood and lymphatic fluid move faster when you swim instead of sitting or lying down.
Three, the water itself offers a gentle compression when in a pool. It’s softer than a compression stocking, but it’s still useful when you’re in the pool between swims. Swimming is great, but even standing and moving your leg in the water is helpful.
And four, swimming is non-impact. That means your foot doesn’t hit the ground with every step like it does when walking or running. Walking and running actually makes leg lymphedema worse due to all the bumps / impacts and gravity. Yes, they do help circulation a bit, but the impact causes fluids to pool in the leg instead of pushing it out of the leg. Your body is vertical and fluids run downward. Swimming is very gentle and effective for those of us with leg lymphedema compared to any other aerobic exercise.
I have been dealing with lymphedema in my leg since my cancer surgery in 1991. At that time, I already had a degree in physical therapy, was a physical trainer and a gymnastics coach. He knew how the body worked.
He had malignant melanoma on his right thigh. Many doctors told me that I would be bedridden for the rest of my life after cancer surgery. Surgery was the only way to save my life. That was if it weren’t too late already. The doctor wasn’t sure if the cancer had already spread to my lymph nodes and throughout my body. If I had, it would have been too late. Going into surgery, I didn’t know if I had weeks to live or a lifetime in bed.
Doctors removed the malignant tumor and lymph nodes from the groin area during surgery. They were two combined surgeries that lasted many hours. Immediately after surgery, my leg was as wide as my waist. It had a tree trunk and a long way to go to reduce it to its normal size. My life was saved, but my leg and my life changed forever. It took me almost a year to reduce my leg to almost normal size. I have maintained the lymphedema in my leg very well because I am very disciplined.
Some quick tips to reduce swelling … lifting, compression, circulation / light exercise, and a very healthy diet of various fruits and vegetables – that’s the secret to reducing swelling and keeping it down. Eat foods like fruits and vegetables. Stay away from processed foods, fast foods, junk food, alcohol, soda, and other unhealthy foods.
I studied physical therapy in college and have been a CSCS for many years. I know how to stay healthy and recover from illness and injury. I admit, my knowledge has made it easier for me to maintain my lymphedema in my leg, but you can do it too.
What prompted me to write this today? I spend all winter wishing I had access to a pool so I could better maintain my lymphedema. This week the pool opened and I paid for my pool pass. I will be able to keep my leg looking and feeling good with almost no swelling on non-working days. HURRAH!
I swam for the first time this summer yesterday and my leg felt and looked great afterwards. Elevating today and it feels good. I can’t wait to go to my ballroom dance social later tonight!
