If you read my previous posts , you'll know I'm passionate about keeping active, and also helping people living with lymphoedema.
But I am NOT a physiotherapist or qualified fitness instructor.
However I'm thrilled to say that the following links are for a series of videos made by Dominic Smith, Physiotherapist . He works at PHYSIQUIPE, a great company who have been so helpful and supportive of Lymphoedema teams and therapists in the UK.
PHYSIQUIPE have kindly given me permission to share these newly made videos and made them available , free of charge for all to enjoy and use.
The aim is to do some activity EVERY day, or several times a day , in short episodes . Dominic has tailored these to suit our current `lockdown' status using the home as the setting.
They're fun and easy to do . Keep safe, Keep Well. Keep Moving.
If you also choose to share, please do credit Physiquipe
Thanks so much for these, like you I am a firm believer in the benefits of exercise in general and in particular for lymphoedema. Prior to lockdown I was swimming twice a week, in addition to yoga, and that, along with my armsleeve and SLD has kept my arm in good condition. Obviously I can keep up my yoga practice at home, and am walking every day instead of swimming, but specific exercises are very helpful xx
Glad you found it useful `Lovesradio'. I'm a swimmer as well. I'm really worried that I'll lose my shoulder mobility and strength (front crawler) over all these weeks of not swimming, so when I'm walking circuits in the garden, I do front crawl and backstroke for a few circuits! I've stopped caring what the neighbours think! Well done managing your lymphoedema by keeping up all your self care practices. Keep safe and well.
I have been doing Joe Wicks PE and the all the plank pose variations are helping my upper body strength and like you am making sure that I maintain shoulder mobility and core strength. I also get emails from a guy in America, TriSwim Coach, who has good stuff at the moment about swim exercises in lockdown.
My problem is getting the compression socks off at night
I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, though it's far worse in my right hand and wrist. I have to get both thumbs to prise the sock over to my foot, which causes great pain in my hands, and can take a considerable time to do.
Hi Thomas45. Oh I really empathise with you. Compression is really tricky to manage when you have hand/wrist problems and it must be painful too. There are several devices which can help removing , as well as applying hosiery. the following are on prescription in the UK
1.EASY SLIDE, by credenhill. CODE EO1302.
This is actually an applicator for open toe stockings, however if you open it out fully and place flat on the floor with the loop at the heel end of your foot. You then feed about an inch (2-3cm) of the other end into the space between large and next toe. with foot resting on rest of applicator, and seated...Pull stocking over using slippiness of applicator to ease over heel, pull stocking half way up lower leg, then pull on loop to remove applicator. And position stocking. If you also put on rubber gloves or rubberised gardening gloves this can help ease the stocking into position.
To remove stocking, turn applicator into a windsock/icing bag shape. Place over foot. Peel stocking down over applicator and either pull gently (again seated) OR, have a rubber bath mat under your foot, and gently move your move forward and back. The friction of the rubber mat and slide of the applicator helps to remove the stocking.
Thomas45 I have just learnt that there is also a skin cream which moisturises AND makes the skin slightly `slippy', thus assisting putting hosiery on and off.
It's not on prescription but can be bought from the company.
I wear knee highs on both legs and find if I push them down to my ankles then I use a shoe horn down the back and prise them off I find this helps as I also have mild carpal tunnel and arthritis hope this helps
Hi Thomas 45. Which one did you go for?I hope it does help. It can take a bit of practice. Make sure you have some rubber-palmed gloves as well, they can really help.
Hi buddlia12, the Medi Butler Off is its rather sexist packaging. I don't think Medi realise that men can have lymphoedema. I have already tested it on my left leg, (primary lymphoedema) and it worked well. I don't think it would work on my right leg (secondary, and almost vanished, lymphoedma) because the sock is very tight.
Just to pick up on your point about men and lymphoedema. There is a lymphoedema forum that has a section specifically for men on the following website: lymphconnect.co.uk
At the moment there isn't much on this forum because it's still in it's infancy but you might want to be one of the first. I know research is underway to help develop this forum.
Hi Thomas, glad you found it helpful. Yes I agree, MEDI do seem to use women predominantly on their packaging which is rather outdated and innaccurate. Perido's suggestion is a good one re Lymph connect. Lymphline, (LSN magazine has had many articles over the years from men living with lymphoedema. All the best.
Thank you for putting up these little videos. I had almost lost the plot of late as with working from home and following the rules re Covid-19 which is essential to all of our lives and health, I was becoming a bit of a couch potato. In fact sofa season has definitely moved from December-Jan to March and beyond.
However, I am going to make a point of doing the exercises you have kindly posted, as I do feel that I am stiffening up with the lack of going to work. Because we have to admit getting up with a purpose to go and get the bus to go to work and then to teach in front of a group of teenagers, is very different to sitting at a pc at home, trying to get round teaching via an online classroom VLE. Rendered all the more frustrating as students don't think they need to log in as they think that they have now finished for this academic year.
Re the exercises, I will give the tin of beans a miss for the upper limbs as my left arm was injured on the 13th of Jan 2020. Also my recent physio appointments have all been cancelled due to COVID-19 , but since my elbow dislocation I don't really feel a 100% better yet. My arm stretch is not 180 degrees yet, although it is not far short maybes it is 150 at present, I also still feel pain in both the wrist and the elbow joint and a truly weird tightening sensation when I raise my arms above my head, in fact I normally support my left arm coming down with my right as there is some pain from my elbow to my shoulder. In the mornings and if I sit for any length of time, my whole left arm feels as if it is stiffening up. I was informed at the time that it can take a long time to recover from a severe dislocation of the elbow joint and this is proving to be true as I am still suffering today.
HI Deadfootmo. Thankyou for your feedback. I'm glad you feel some of the suggested exercises will be of help for you as you recover from your damaged elbow. As Dominic says in the clips... only work to your body's ability. Take it back a notch if something causes pain or makes lymphoedema worse. The exercises can be done without using a counter weight (tin of beans/ bottle of water) you will still assist muscular strength and joint mobility.
Re :The `tightening/pulling' sensation you get. Do you also have secondary lymphoedema on that limb/chest wall? Do you have any neck problems?
The lymphoedema I have is in my lower limbs, but I did notice that once the plaster and the brace was removed from my elbow, I did have a slight swelling from the elbow to the wrist. This swelling has since gone and most of the pain in that part of my arm has too, although if I'm too quick with my wrist say with the dishes etc, I can get the occasional very sharp pain in the wrist which makes me wince. The tightening and pulling sensation I get today is mainly in the upper arm to shoulder, but their is also heaviness I can't really explain in the hollow centre of my elbow.
Where my shoulder is concerned the outside upper part of it feels like it has been to the dentist and I do feel some pulling in the neck, when I take my blouse off or put a nighty on, wash my face or use the shower and finally when I do the exercises given to me by my physio some time ago. That involves moving either my entire arm to the side in one go or my lower arm to one side. only but from the elbow. I also feel odd pains and tightening in the shoulder if my hair takes too long to tie back as you need both hands for that. Due to COVID -19 all appointments of a none essential nature have now been cancelled, so I am having to do this exercise on my own.
I also feel the said same pains, tightness and dentist like numbness feeling in my entire left arm if I sit for too long say watching telly or when I wake first thing in the morning.
There is nothing wrong with my chest wall and my neck is only a problem if I do anything to force my left arm to work as described above. The physio's motto in respect of the type of injury I have had is no gain with no pain. Yet for a strange spell about 7 weeks ago, I actually thought my arm was getting better but with the increase in recommended physio exercises and the more I am actually able to do now, my pains are worse. It really beggars belief.
I forgot to mention that the physio also mentioned that I needed to release a muscle that was trapped and tight just above my inner elbow for my trapezius at the rear of my elbow to regain in strength. So prior to any exercise I massage both by rubbing to create heat for about 5 minutes with my right hand. I can't use products that create heat as I'm allergic to them.
Hi DeadfootMo. Sounds as if you are doing all of the right things for both your lower limb lymphoedema and recovery after your elbow injury. These injuries can take some time to fully recover. While you are not able to have a physio overseeing your rehab, it might e better to exercise with caution using what ever exercises the physio showed and if it causes more pain then to ease back a bit, but it is important to use the arm. If you feel the pain, numbness or swelling in the arm are getting worse then it's probably a good idea to ask for a remote appointment with the GP at the very least. Wishing you well.
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