Exercise and lymphedema Dedication to moving lymphedema every day
By Graham Snell
I have primary lymphedema. I was diagnosed in 2008 at the age of 30. My story is so like so many others with the same condition. I do consider myself lucky because my lymphedema did not develop from cancer.
So, although I do have this disease and will live with it for the rest of my life, I consider it a blessing it did not come from something worse. For all those reading this who did go through cancer treatments and came out on the other side with this disease, I applaud you for your strength and dedication.
I do not want to write about the misdiagnosis in the beginning and the constant attempts to try and explain this disease to doctors. I do not want to write about the multiple cellulitis infections over the years and the constant vigilance against scratches and bug bites and the tube of Polysporin I carry with me as well as a bottle of antibiotics “just in case”. I can almost guarantee every reader of this article who lives with lymphedema has a similar story. Instead, I want to talk about movement, exercise and regular visits to my physiotherapist and the impact it has had on my condition.
When I was originally diagnosed, I figured that was the end of the road for me. I inadvisably “Googled” pictures of lymphedema that had gone untreated and read horror stories of people who did not take care of themselves. This gave me a good kick to get moving. My research was not all negative, I read stories and saw pictures of people running marathons
and competing in major events. I learned that it was not the end to my quality of life and that I should not let it beat me down. When my specialist gave me the news, she said it will never get better, but the key would be to make sure it never gets worse. I took that advice to heart and began changes that day. Along with a strict compression regimen, I began moving; something I had not really done in years. I was an athlete as a kid, but a knee injury and surgery when I was fifteen put me down a path of little exercise and a sedentary lifestyle. This lymphedema diagnosis forced me to change that.
Graham Snell lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He has been married to Jodi, a teacher for almost 20 years and they have two grown children.
Graham believes in family, living a healthy lifestyle and lymphedema advocacy. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Lymphedema Association of Saskatchewan and manages their social media pages.
This is what works for me and I am by no means a medical professional, nor am I giving medical advice. Please consult your doctor or therapist before starting any kind of program. Some people have more conditions than just lymphedema and should consider that. This is just what works for me and what I believe in.
I exercise every single day. I do not believe in days off. It is so important to move. Us “Lymphie’s” don’t have a choice. I am an early riser and get out of bed on weekdays at 4am to be in the gym by 5am. I go to a CrossFit gym, so everything is in classes that start at various hours throughout the day. Before you think how crazy I may be for doing this, I want to tell you that I have been at this for many years and it is just normal for me to have these hours. At this time of day, there are no commitments; no work or school and no activities to drive the kids to. It also means no excuses to not be able to put the work in.
The intensity level of the workouts, combined with weight training, body weight movements and power lifting make for an all-around great body workout that has my lymphatic system moving well after the workout is done. At the age of 42, I am faster and stronger than I was at the age of 30 when I was diagnosed. In fact, my foot/leg looks so good during and after exercise that only few people know I have this disease.
On days away from the gym, I go for a run, bike ride or even a brisk walk. When I said I exercise every day, I meant 4-5 of the days
at high intensity and the other days in “active recovery” which just means moving in some way. My dog keeps me moving since he is a fanatic for walks or runs at the dog park. A dog is another great motivator!
In addition to exercise, I make every attempt to see Monique Marshall, my physiotherapist and certified lymphedema therapist, regularly. That was much easier pre-COVID, of course. I am ashamed to admit that I did not seek out a physiotherapist for lymphedema until a couple years ago after a bad cellulitis infection. Monique was recommended to me and she has changed my lymphatic life. Regular visits for Manual Lymph Drainage, along with proper fittings of compression garments have completely made my life better. She is also an incredible advocate for the treatment and care of this disease.
So, please find the time to get up and move at some point in your day. It does not have to be high intensity. You do not need to run a marathon, climb a mountain, or do
“This is what works for me and I am by no means a medical professional, nor am I giving medical advice. Please consult your doctor or therapist before starting any kind of program.”
CrossFit, but you should be moving to move that lymph! I also encourage you all to be active in the advocacy of our disease. Tell your story, post on social media, support the research and development of a cure, join your local lymphedema association and be genuinely supportive of everyone suffering. We are all in this together. I know that joining the Lymphedema Association of Saskatchewan has been a tremendous help for me. The support system that has come through them is amazing. LP
