Forum Discussion

Summer_Prevails's avatar
Summer_Prevails
Member
7 years ago

New year, new lymph nodes - swimming?

Happy 2019 to all the beauties and brains of BCNA !

I am going to take back my swimming practice that I used to have pre BC this year. Not that I believe in resolutions. Always bugger them up anyway! But swimming is something I have heard only great things about in regards to lymphoedema. So. I resolve to get back into it. 

Questions - do you have to wear your compression sleeve/garments when actually swimming? 

Whats the evidence for wearing/not wearing garments while in water, does anyone have any links or info about swimming and lympho effects? 

love x o 
exercise
lymphoedema
  • Summer_Prevails's avatar
    Summer_Prevails
    Member
    7 years ago
    @SoldierCrab No I haven’t done Encore, I have heard of it but don’t know much more than the name. I will ask my BC nurse about it. 

    My surgeon said that the pressure of the water acts like conpression, but I just ant remember what the advice is about wearing sleeves. My main fear is that I go swimming without it, my arm has a freak out, swells up and doesn’t ever go back to ‘normal’. Can that happen? 
  • SoldierCrab's avatar
    SoldierCrab
    Member
    7 years ago
    hi Summer 
    I don't wear my compression sleeve while swimming. also none of the ladies that I do a lymphodema exercise group in the water wear theirs ... the water is a form of compression on our arms as we swim or exercise. 
    Have you done the Encore program? 
    If so you would of hopefully seen the benefits of the exercises in the water... 
    The one that worked for me is "frisbee in each hand and put your palm on underside of each frisbee" then make figure 8s in the water.... I see considerable difference in my arms when I can get to do this regularly