Lymphedema Resources:
- National Lymphedema Network position papers
- Weight lifting in women with breast cancer-related lymphedema
- Excellent article from the New England Journal of Medicine on recent research on the effect of weight lifting in women recovering from breast cancer with lymphedema. The authors of the article concluded that:“In breast-cancer survivors with lymphedema, slowly progressive weight lifting had no significant effect on limb swelling and resulted in a decreased incidence of exacerbations of lymphedema, reduced symptoms, and increased strength.”
- Early detection and management of lymphedema:
- A US-based study analysed the costs of breast cancer-related lymphedema and determined that a prospective surveillance model using physiotherapy provided significantly lower health-care costs as well as providing early detection and management of lymphedema following breast cancer surgery. The authors concluded that:“A shift in the paradigm of examination and intervention by a physical therapist may be warranted in light of these emerging data. Physical therapists are ideally situated to provide secondary preventive interventions and treatment, using prospective surveillance, to those surviving breast cancer.”