Joan sent me this really great article a few months ago regarding weightlifting helping women with lymphedema. I will let Joan explain:
“Not sure how many of you are familiar with this but if you have ever seen a woman with a compression sleeve on one arm … i have most often seen this on airplanes … it may be due to lymphedema following breast cancer therapy/surgery. Blood carries lots of good stuff all over the body, when fluid is extravasated from the vasculature into the intercellular space, this fluid is then taken back into the venous side and back to the heart via the lymph system. When breast cancer patients have surgery, if lymph nodes are found to be cancerous — they are removed. This obviously screws up the fluid balance. Turns out lifting weights can help. SUPER FREAKING COOL! (I particularly like the part about the original thinking was exercise was bad. Admittedly, this is a bit tricky to think through since exercise increases blood flow… and without a fully functioning lymph system maybe things get even more ‘backed up’. I think that the increased flow actually probably helps as does the movements itself … massage is one of the primary treatment for lymph edema.”
If you want to read some more about how one athlete deals with lymphedema, check out this article about a CrossFit Games Competitor!