Advances in Understanding the Use of Yoga as Therapy in Lymphedema

Author(s):  
S. R. Narahari ◽  
Madhur Guruprasad Aggithaya ◽  
Terence J. Ryan

Lymphedema may be caused by dysfunction of the lymphatic system due to damage, block, hypoplasia due to genetic causes or by lymph overload. Lymphatic Filariasis is most prevalent and among the leading causes of disability. This chapter describes the improvements in three yoga protocols of integrative treatment, for lower limb, upper limb, and genital lymphedema. There are two sessions of yoga in our treatment protocol. Yoga helps to drain lymph through various mechanisms. Asanas focus on the dermal stretch, joint movement, muscle pumps, and muscle stretch and pranayamas on lung expansion. Joint movements and muscle contractions are designed to mimic nodal drainage. The yoga protocol also provides knee strengthening, gait correction, shoulder joint strengthening. Yoga asanas for comorbidities like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and arthritis and joint surgeries with movement restrictions are customized in the revised protocol. Yoga is an effective treatment in lymphedema and considerably improves the patient's quality of life.

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Sinha ◽  
Wim JA van den Heuvel ◽  
Perianayagam Arokiasamy

Background: Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly being recognized as an important outcome for rehabilitation programs, and has mainly been used to compare the efficacy of interventions or to compare amputees with other diseased populations. There is relatively a limited number of studies primarily focusing on analyzing the multitude of factors influencing QoL in amputees.Objectives: To identify important background and amputation related factors which affect quality of life (QoL) in lower limb amputees, and to compare QoL profile of amputees’ to that of general population.Study design: Cross-sectional.Methods: Lower limb amputees 18 years and above from a rehabilitation centre, a limb-fitting centre and four limb-fitting camps were interviewed ( n = 605). Structured questionnaires included patient background and amputation characteristics, and the MOS short-form health survey (SF-36) for assessing QoL. The SF-36 was administered to a general adult population using purposive sampling ( n = 184).Results: SF-36 PCS and MCS scores were found to be significantly lower for amputees when compared to those for the general population. In this study, employment status, use of an assistive device, use of a prosthesis, comorbidities, phantom-limb pain and residual stump pain were found to predict both PCS and MCS scores significantly, and explained 47.8% and 29.7% of variance respectively. Age and time since amputation accounted for an additional 3% of variance in PCS scores.Conclusions: The abovementioned factors should be addressed in order to ensure holistic reintegration and participation, and to enable the amputees to regain or maintain QoL. Prospective longitudinal studies are recommended to systematically study the change in QoL over time and to assess its determinants.Clinical relevanceProper appraisal of abovementioned factors in the rehabilitation programme would assist in establishing a treatment protocol, which would adequately address QoL in amputees.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Banik ◽  
Ralf Schwarzer ◽  
Nina Knoll ◽  
Katarzyna Czekierda ◽  
Aleksandra Luszczynska

2020 ◽  
Vol 114 (12) ◽  
pp. 1021-1034
Author(s):  
Natalia Hounsome ◽  
Mersha Kinfe ◽  
Maya Semrau ◽  
Oumer Ali ◽  
Abraham Tesfaye ◽  
...  

Abstract We conducted an implementation research study to integrate a holistic package of physical health, mental health and psychosocial care for podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy into routine healthcare in Gusha cluster, Guagusa Shikudad district, northwest Ethiopia. The healthcare package included training patients in lower limb hygiene and skin care and provision of shoes, hygiene supplies and medication. The implementation activities included training events, workshops, awareness raising, self-help groups, supportive supervision, staff secondments and advisory board meetings. The cost of implementing the care package in Gusha cluster, with a population of 30 558 people, was 802 655 Ethiopian birr (ETB) (£48 159) and the cost of delivering care to 235 participants was 204 388 ETB (£12 263), or 870 ETB (£52) per person. There was a 35% decrease in the mean disability scores (measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0) and a 45% improvement in the dermatology-specific quality of life (measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index) at the 3-month follow-up compared with baseline. There were reductions in the number of days with symptoms, days off usual activities/work and days with reduced activity due to illness, all of which were statistically significant. Our pilot suggests that integration of the care package into routine healthcare in Ethiopia may be effective in improving health-related quality of life and disability and reducing time out of economic activity due to illness.


2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1081-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Novackova ◽  
Michael J. Halaska ◽  
Helena Robova ◽  
Ivana Mala ◽  
Marek Pluta ◽  
...  

BackgroundLower-limb lymphedema is one of the most disabling adverse effects of vulvar cancer surgery. Multifrequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (MFBIA) is a modern noninvasive method to detect lymphedema. The first aim of this study was to prospectively determine the prevalence of secondary lower-limb lymphedema after surgical treatment for vulvar cancer using objective methods, circumference measurements and MFBIA technique. The second aim was to compare quality of life (QoL) before and 6 months after vulvar surgery.MethodsTwenty-nine patients underwent vulvar cancer surgery in our study: 17 underwent inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (RAD), and 12 underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (CONS). Patients were examined before and 6 months after vulvar surgery by measuring the circumference of the lower limbs and with MFBIA. A control group of 27 healthy women was also measured. To evaluate QoL, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QoL questionnaires (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CX24) were administered to patients before and 6 months after surgery.ResultsUsing circumference measurement, 9 lymphedemas (31%) were diagnosed: 3 (25%) in the CONS and 6 (37.5%) in the RAD group (P= 0.69). After vulvar surgery, patients in the RAD group reported more fatigue and worsening of physical and role functioning. When comparing both groups, the RAD group had significantly worse parameters in social functioning, fatigue, and dyspnea.ConclusionsLower radicality in inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy shows a trend toward lower morbidity and significantly improves QoL. Multifrequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis was tested in these patients as a noninvasive, objective method for lymphedema detection. Detection of lymphedema based on subjective evaluations proved to have an unsatisfactory sensitivity. Less radical surgery showed objectively better results in QoL.


PM&R ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. S1-S1
Author(s):  
Shane R. Wurdeman ◽  
Phillip M. Stevens ◽  
James H. Campbell

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