Lymphoedema is tricky and no one can really predict who will get it and who won't. People who have not had cancer or surgery can still develop it but opinion seems to be that the more nodes you lose during an ax clearance, the higher your chances are.
I'm finding yoga sun salutations helpful when it comes to keeping mine under control. It's a mlld case which came on after a bout of cellulitis, but the slow stretch combined with the pressure on my arms during the down dog, plank and cobra moves appears to be doing the trick. I blow up a bit at night or if I'm inactive for a few hours and find 8-10 minutes of slow salutations will clear the fluid.