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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN WATER SPECIFIC FOR LYMPHATIC ISSUES
Water therapy is a powerful ally in the treatment of both lymphoedema and lipoedema.
The Clinixa Linfologica Italiana in Padua has been leveraging the effectiveness of water therapies for years as an additional component of the multidisciplinary treatment approach for lymphoedema and lipoedema.
The powerful effects of water therapy can be attributed to the laws of physics and the intrinsic properties of water. The hydrostatic pressure exerted by the water on the immersed body facilitates venous return and the passage of lymph through the vessels, enhancing absorption.
Additionally, due to Archimedes’ principle, it is easier to perform rehabilitative exercises in water while feeling less of one’s body weight. Patients with lymphoedema or lipoedema often struggle with significant swelling in their limbs, making traditional physical exercises challenging. In water, this fatigue, as well as joint load, decreases drastically.
The water temperature, maintained between 30° and 33°C, also aids in performing rehabilitative exercises with gentle and rhythmic movements, promoting lymphatic flow and reducing oedema.
At the Clinica Linfologica Italiana in Padua, we apply the ALT method – Aqua Lymphatic Therapy – for water therapy specific to lymphoedema and lipoedema. This innovative lymphological rehabilitation technique was codified in 2002 by Israeli physiotherapist Dorit Tidhar, a leading researcher in lymphoedema.
