Exercises For Arm Lymphedema is beneficial to maintaining overall body health. To avoid injury or exacerbating lymphedema symptoms, any new exercise program should be introduced gradually to assess lymphatic system response before progressing further.
These exercises will promote lymph movement and reduce your risk of breast cancer-related arm lymphedema.
What is Arm lymphedema?
Arm lymphedema is a condition characterized by swelling in the arm due to a buildup of lymph fluid. This swelling occurs when the lymphatic system, which helps to remove excess fluid and waste from the body, is impaired or damaged. Lymphedema can develop as a result of various factors, including surgery, radiation therapy, infection, or injury that affects the lymph nodes or lymphatic vessels in the arm. Common causes include cancer treatment, particularly surgery and radiation therapy for breast cancer, which can disrupt the normal flow of lymph fluid.
Symptoms of arm lymphedema may include swelling, heaviness, tightness, discomfort, and decreased range of motion in the affected arm. In some cases, the skin may also become thickened or hardened. While there is currently no cure for lymphedema, various treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. These treatments may include manual lymphatic drainage, compression therapy, exercise, skin care, and in some cases, surgery. Early detection and management of arm lymphedema are essential for preventing complications and improving outcomes.
Deep Breathing
If you have breast cancer, there’s a chance that arm lymphedema could occur. While not widely recognized, there are ways that can help manage and alleviate its symptoms – from physical therapy and breathing techniques to stretching exercises designed specifically to alleviate lymphedema symptoms. These simple exercises and deep breathing sessions may even reduce swelling arms caused by lymphedema.
Studies have demonstrated the power of muscle movement and breathing to promote lymph drainage through your lymphatic system, thus helping reduce swelling. You can do these movements either sitting or lying down – just remember not to overdo it and ensure you can breath properly!
Studies conducted on breast cancer survivors who experienced arm lymphedema revealed that using gentle arm exercises combined with deep breathing significantly reduced arm volume and improved how their limb felt to them. A randomized controlled trial was utilized where participants performed series of exercises and deep breaths for one month to test its efficacy.
Starting off, place both hands comfortably against a wall at an appropriate level, crawl your fingers up the wall until they feel stretched but no pain, then mark this spot as the goal for each arm that has been affected. Repeat this exercise five times during each day.
As part of this exercise, it’s important to massage both arms gently with short strokes and pressure applied directly onto soft tissues. This massage should stimulate lymph nodes and encourage fluid drainage from any areas that have become swollen, such as lymph nodes. Perform five minute sessions twice daily on both arms.
One effective method to help promote fluid drainage from an swollen arm is using a self-heating lotion or cream specifically formulated to relax lymph. You can purchase such an aid at most pharmacies and it provides a wonderful form of massage therapy.
Flapping Arms
Occasional arm or leg swelling might seem like just another minor inconvenience, but it could be an early indicator that your lymphatic system isn’t operating as it should. When this system breaks down, fluid builds up in tissues of affected limbs increasing risk of infection while making movement difficult. Treatments are available to help decrease swelling and improve quality of life and movement.
Lymphedema occurs when protein-rich fluid accumulates in one or more lymph vessels that distribute lymph fluid. Lymph fluid acts like a filter for bacteria, viruses and waste material before returning it back into circulation via lymph nodes for filtering and cleaning before being returned back into bloodstream circulation. Damage to lymph vessels due to cancer surgery, radiation therapy or infection increases your risk for lymphedema which may affect any part of your body.
Swelling in the affected area is the hallmark of lymphedema, though tightness or heaviness in the skin is also often felt. Infections often strike swollen arms or legs as trapped lymph fluid feeds germs while its warm surface provides ideal breeding grounds. Severe cases may trigger sepsis requiring emergency treatment.
Treatments to help lower or prevent lymphedema in arms and legs include keeping skin clean and moisturised as well as wearing loose-fitting clothes that won’t pinch or squeeze limbs, elevating affected limbs when sleeping or sitting for long periods, avoiding heavy bags/bracelets/bracelet pressure and extreme temperatures as preventives to fluid buildup.
Exercise designed to gently contract muscles can help move lymph fluid away from swollen areas and move it off-site. A therapist can teach you these exercises; you may also find support groups online or locally available for those living with lymphedema.
Shoulder Blade Pinch
If you are living with breast cancer or have undergone radiation and surgery treatments for other conditions, including radiation to treat breast cancer, you may experience symptoms of lymphedema. Lymphedema results from damage or obstruction of the lymph system; more common among survivors of breast cancer but can affect those treated for other ailments as well. It causes pain, stiffness and weakness in shoulder and arm areas as well as fluid build-up, leading to discomfort as well as buildups of fluid accumulation in these regions.
Lymphedema’s painful, achy sensation can make daily activities and sleep very challenging, yet untreatable. Preventative exercises may help relieve some discomfort while also offering protection.
Start slowly and gradually ease into these exercises, stopping immediately if any discomfort arises. At first, perform this exercise once every two days until after about a week you may gradually increase its frequency.
Start by standing with feet slightly apart for balance, then bring out one arm in front of you while pinching shoulder blades together with it. Do not raise your arm higher than chest level as doing so would place unnecessary strain on the rotator cuff. Repeat this exercise two sets of 15 repetitions.
These simple movements will strengthen your shoulder and back muscles while improving posture – thus decreasing shoulder and neck pain. Furthermore, these moves are great for relieving tightness or “winged scapulas”, (the appearance of the shoulder blade when seen from behind).
Shoulder blade pain can often be indicative of other medical issues affecting the lungs or chest cavity. Such issues could include pulmonary embolism (when blood clots break free in legs and travel directly to lungs), pancoast tumor or pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
Other causes of shoulder blade pain may include muscle strain, stress, snapping scapula syndrome and myofascial pain syndrome – each can be addressed with rest, exercise and preventative techniques like those discussed above.
Arm Circles
Arm circles are an effective arm exercise to combat lymphedema. They are a simple warm up exercise often utilized before weight training or athletic events to stretch and loosen shoulders and upper arms prior to beginning their workout regimens, as well as help strengthen local muscles by stretching and loosening. With proper execution, these circles may even help strengthen them further!
To perform an arm circle, start by standing up and stretching out both arms without bending your elbows. Gradually make small circles in the air that measure approximately one foot in diameter using your arms; continue doing this in a clockwise motion for 10 seconds before switching directions and repeating this procedure in reverse.
As you advance, try increasing the size of the arm circles that you create with your arms. Begin doing them a few times each day before gradually increasing to multiple sets per day. As soon as this becomes routine for you, add weights to your arm circles and increase reps per set until reaching maximum potential.
Make the most out of your workouts by including arm circles in other exercises as well. For instance, try doing these arm circles while performing push-ups or holding weights – this way your lymphatic system receives sufficient movement.
Exercise daily until you can move your shoulder as before surgery. This will prevent scar tissue formation which could restrict how far your arm moves later on. For any questions regarding these arm lymphedema exercises or to talk to a physical therapist about them, reach out to your physician who will explain how to do them and if they apply in your specific situation.
