Yoga & lymphedema risk

Lymphedema is a condition involving fluid buildup in the hand, arm, breast, chest wall, or armpit on the side of your body where you had cancer surgery. Lymphedema symptoms include swelling and pain.

Anyone who has had lymph node surgery or radiation therapy to the lymph nodes has some lifetime risk of lymphedema. That risk is highest in the first 3 years after treatment. To learn more about lymphedema risk factors, early warning signs and prevention, visit our page on lymphedema.

How can I reduce the risk of lymphedema during yoga practice?

You can take precautions to reduce your lymphedema risk. Research shows a strength-building program should start and progress very slowly. Your healthcare team should advise you on the best starting weight for you.

Be careful with poses that put your full weight, or a large percentage of it, on your arms. As a beginner, choose poses that keep your hands off the floor. You may also use the wall for support when others use the floor. Finding the right yoga program may be the best help.

Slow-moving, rhythmic movements in yoga may help prevent lymphedema because they encourage lymph flow. Pay attention to the arm near the area where lymph nodes were removed and near areas that had radiation. If those areas feel full or heavy, fatigued, achy, or tingling, stop and rest. When those sensations persist, check with your doctor.

If I have lymphedema or am at high risk, is yoga safe for me?

Talk with your healthcare team about your personal risk of developing lymphedema. Ask to be referred to a physical therapist who specializes in lymphedema for an assessment.

Depending on your risk, a physical therapist may recommend you wear compression garments on your arm or hand during, and for an hour after, yoga sessions. They may also recommend that you monitor the temperature where you practice. The room should not be hot.

You may especially benefit from yoga breathing exercises and slow poses believed to enhance lymph flow. Modify your practice. Avoid or minimize poses that involve bearing weight on the arms, or introduce them slowly and progressively. Examples of weight-bearing poses are Downward Dog, Plank, and Cobra.

Tips to lessen your risk of lymphedema during yoga

• Make an appointment with a physical therapist specializing in lymphedema before getting started. Ask about safe movements and poses.
• Do not overuse or overexert the arm on the side you had surgery.
• Avoid vigorous or repetitive activities with the affected arm.
• Ask your instructor about poses that bring the arms anywhere above shoulder level. This allows gravity to help with the lymph flow back into the torso. Activating the hands, such as making fists and spreading fingers, can also support lymph flow.
• Do not practice in a heated room. Hot yoga, power yoga and Bikram yoga are usually done in heated rooms.
• Progress slowly in your practice.
• Don’t hesitate to modify your poses or rest when you feel tired, even if other students are moving.
• Advocate for yourself. Let your instructor know you don’t want hands-on adjustments, the common practice of assisting you more deeply into yoga poses, which may result in injury. Ask for props, breaks, and other help when you need it.