• Conditions Treated
• Elbow Conditions
  • Golfer’s Elbow
  • Little Leaguer’s Elbow
  • Tennis Elbow
• Foot and Ankle Dysfunctions
  • Ankle Fracture
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Calf Strain
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Shin Splint
• Hand Injuries
  • Boutonniere Deformity
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
  • DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis
  • Wrist Fracture
• Hip and Thigh Conditions
  • Hamstring Strain
  • Hip Replacement
• Knee Pain
  • ACL Injuries
  • ITB Syndrome
  • Knee Replacement
  • Patella Tendinitis
• Shoulder Injuries
  • Dislocated Shoulder
  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Rotator Cuff Tear
  • Shoulder Tendinitis
• Spinal Conditions
  • Back Pain
    • Preventing Back Pain
  • Cervical Strain
  • Headache
  • Herniated Disk
  • Neck Pain
    • Preventing Neck Pain
  • Sciatica
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Spondylolisthesis
• Other Conditions
  • Arthritis
  • Chronic Pelvic Pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Lymphedema
  • Osteoporosis
  • TMJ Dysfunction
  • Urinary Incontinence

Lymphedema

Chances are, you know of someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. As if this diagnosis alone weren’t enough to absorb, up to 54 percent^1,2,3 of women who undergo surgical treatment for invasive breast cancer experience a serious complication called lymphedema—swelling of the limbs and torso.

Lymphedema is a serious condition that causes discomfort, undermines a woman’s self image, and can result in life-threatening infection. Although there is no cure for lymphedema, effective treatments are not only available but critically important, and the sooner a woman gets help, the better.

Our Approach

The goal of our breast cancer and lymphedema rehabilitation program is to help empower women to be able to manage their condition over the long term. Treatment is provided by a lymphedema specialist and is comprehensive, tailored to your needs, and provides the opportunity to more actively participate in your care.

Our comprehensive program includes the following components:

• Patient evaluation: During the initial evaluation, the physical therapist obtains data that includes range of motion and girth measurements of the limbs. The therapist also obtains information on the patient’s pain and functional limitations and works with the patient in developing goals specific to her needs.
• Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) and other forms of manual and orthopedic manual therapy: MLD is a highly specialized massage technique that moves fluid out of the congested limb. Our therapists understand healthy and surgically compromised lymphatic systems and are skilled in delivering the technique with the appropriate pressure and sequencing.
• Therapeutic exercise: Therapeutic exercise is essential in managing breast cancer surgery recovery and lymphedema. Movement of the limb facilitates blood and lymphatic flow. Strengthening exercises—once thought to increase a patient’s risk of lymphedema—have recently been shown to be safe when performed incrementally and with guidance from a qualified professional. Our therapists continually monitor how the patient is responding to the exercise program and adjust treatment accordingly. They also instruct the patient in self monitoring of lymphedema so she can continue with exercise after discharge.
  
• Compression bandaging: Special bandages are used to provide pressure to the swollen region. The pressure supports the skin and vessels underlying the skin and improves the lymphatic vessels’ ability to function. Bandaging also enhances the muscles’ ability to pump fluid. Our therapists teach patients how to apply bandages so they can use them during their exercise sessions at home.
• Compression pump: Pneumatic compression pumps can help with moving venous fluid out of the limb. Pumping can be an effective tool in lymphedema management when combined with other techniques such as MLD, bandaging, and exercises that work to remove the lymphatic fluid from the limb.  

Patient education is also an integral part of treatment provided for all our patients at SSPT. We provide patient education materials regarding management of lymphedema risks and protection, exercise, and self bandaging techniques as well as vendor contacts for supplies. We also help facilitate access to the appropriate support networks.

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¹ Norman SA, Localio AR, Potashnik SL, et al. Lymphedema in breast cancer survivors: incidence, degree, time course, treatment, and symptoms. J Clin Oncol. 27(3):390-7, 2009 Jan 20..

² McLaughlin SA, Wright MJ, Morris KT, et al. Prevalence of lymphedema in women with breast cancer 5 years after sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary dissection: patient perceptions and precautionary behaviors. J Clin Oncol. 26(32):5220-6, 2008 Nov 10.

³ Paskett ED, Naughton MJ, McCoy TP, et al. The epidemiology of arm and hand swelling in premenopausal breast cancer survivors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 16(4):775-82, 2007 Apr.