“For some us, traditional medical compression garments don’t work well for managing our swelling and pain. After changing from trying to contain my swelling from lymphedema, a condition I developed after cancer treatments, to focusing on improving my lymphatic system's function with Active Massage compression, my life changed. 

When I put on my Active Massage® compression garments they instantly help me feel better. They alleviate the heavy and achy sensations I experience and help reduce the swelling in my affected areas.”  

~ Sue Callison (Founder | Wearer) 

Active Massage Compression vs. Traditional Medical Compression

First let me say, one type of compression garment is NOT better than the other. Each takes a different approach to dealing with swelling and discomfort. The question is, which type of compression garment is best for you long term? With conditions that cause swelling, consistently wearing compression garments is very important to help keep fluid from building up in your tissues. The more stagnant fluid that builds up, the more your condition will go from being something frustrating but manageable to something completely life debilitating. 

What Active Massage® Compression Garments Do:

Active Massage® compression garments are designed to support the natural function of your lymphatic system. They manually help stimulate superficial lymphatic vessels to promote lymph drainage, similar to MLD (manual lymph drainage massage). Active massage garments are designed to clear lymphatic pathways and help superficial lymphatic vessels take in fluid to reduce swelling and the discomfort it can cause.

How Active Massage®compression garments work:

Unlike traditional compression, Active Massage compression garments have a patented 3D raised wave knit on the interior of the fabric. This innovation, combined with lower graduated compression (not as tight as traditional therapeutic compression), stimulates microcirculation and lymph drainage. The garments make an imprint on your skin and through natural body movement, the uneven pressure caused by this combination creates the massage effect.

Why is Active Massage® Not Available In a Higher Compression?

You will not find high compression in Active Massage® compression garments because they are working to enhance fluid movement through the superficial lymphatic capillaries and vessels. These vessels run on very low pressure so, too much compression can actually cause them to collapse, leaving them unable to fully do their job.

The focus of Active Massage® compression garments is to use the patented 3D stretch, wave knit on the inside of the fabric to help move fluid and reduce swelling and discomfort. 

An individual must be able to move around in order to receive the massage effect created by the Active Massage® compression garments.

I've been wearing Active Massage compression for a pretty long time now to help alleviate my swelling and discomfort. Let me say, it has saved my quality of life. Here is a before and after picture to show why I'm so dedicated to sharing these garments with others like myself who struggle every day.® 

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What Traditional Medical Compression Garments Do:

The goal of traditional therapeutic compression garments is to use strong pressure to constrict the affected area. This helps keep stagnant fluid from building up in your tissues. The graduated compression helps propel fluid through the deeper lymphatic and venous channels to improve circulation.

In relation to swelling reduction, traditional compression garments are designed to help maintain the gains made during therapy and/or keep the affected area from increasing in size. They are not designed to reduce swelling although this can happen.

Who is Traditional Compression Garments Best For?

Traditional compression garments are helpful for people who have very limited lymphatic function (not easy to control the swelling). Your body needs help keeping as much excess fluid out of the affected area as possible. Without the mechanisms to get that fluid out, your affected area will continue to swell. Also, if you are immobile or require custom garments to fit your affected area, than traditional compression garments are for you.

The focus of traditional compression garments is to use high compression to contain the affected area and hold the swelling.

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Disclaimer

All the information and content on solideaus.com and the My Lymphedema Life Facebook page are intended for general medical and health information and educational purposes only.

Sue Callison (founder of solideaus.com) is not a doctor or healthcare professional, she is someone who has lymphedema.  Sue has spent, since 2009, dealing with lymphedema, learning about the lymphatic system and figuring out ways to keep her lymphedema under control.

None of the information is intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, treatment or care. Solidea US makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the appropriateness, timeliness, accuracy, completeness and/or usefulness of the information and content contained in our websites or on our Facebook pages.

Lymphedema is a medical condition that occurs when part of the lymphatic system is damaged, blocked and/or missing. As a result, the body loses its ability to drain waste filled fluid from the affected area causing chronic, progressive swelling and many other health issues. The onset of lymphedema may be acute or gradual and can be temporary or chronic.

Lymphedema presently has no cure. If left undiagnosed, untreated and unmanaged, lymphedema can become disfiguring, disabling and destroy lives. This is why early intervention and management is so important!

Lymphedema is classified into two types: primary lymphedema and secondary lymphedema.

Primary Lymphedema

Primary lymphedema is a genetic (inherited) condition that may show symptoms at birth or later in life. People with primary lymphedema have a deficiency in the development of their lymphatic system. This includes abnormal or missing lymph nodes or lymph vessels that prevent the lymphatic system from properly draining fluid from the tissues.

• Milroy's disease (congenital lymphedema).  Begins at infancy.
• Meige's disease (lymphedema praecox).  Often shows up during puberty or pregnancy, although it can occur later, through age 35.
• Late-onset lymphedema (lymphedema tarda).  Begins after age 35.

Secondary Lymphedema

Secondary lymphedema is brought on as a result of another condition or disease which causes permanent damage to the lymphatic system. This often occurs from cancer treatments (lymph node removal and/or radiation), cancer, trauma, injury or infection.

• Surgery - Removal/Injury of lymph nodes and vessels can cause lymphedema.
• Radiation Treatment - Radiation can cause scarring and inflammation of the lymph nodes and/or lymph vessels which can cause lymphedema.
• Cancer - Tumors can block lymphatic pathways which can cause lymphedema.
• Trauma - Injury that causes permanent damage to the lymphatic system can cause lymphedema.
• Infection - Infection of the lymph nodes or parasites within lymph vessels can cause lymphedema. Most infection-related lymphedema occurs in tropical and subtropical regions and in underdeveloped countries.

When waste filled fluid is trapped in your tissues for an extended period of time, it can bring about a number of not so pleasant issues. One of them being fibrosis. Fibrosis is the thickening and scarring of tissues which can be improved but not reversed. When fibrosis occurs, it makes keeping lymphedema under control much more difficult. This is why early intervention and consistent management is so important when it comes to dealing with lymphedema!

I came up with rolling based on my knowledge of how MLD and the lymphatic system work. Similar to MLD, rolling manually stimulates my superficial lymphatic system to take in and move excess fluid trapped in my tissues. Because this aspect of the lymphatic system is so close to the surface of our skin, and runs on low pressure, we can influence it by manually increasing and decreasing pressure on it. This action mimics how movement creates muscle contractions, which is the key to making the lymphatic system function properly.

Before I start rolling, I pump the nodes in my neck and take 5 deep belly breathes. Then, like MLD, I first clear my torso with the roller. Next, I work outward towards the end of my limbs, following the directional flow of my lymphatic system back toward the re-entry point circulatory system. This clears pathways which then allows more fluid to be taken in from my tissues.

However, unlike MLD, I work the roller back and forth as I directionally move fluid, rather than just “sweep” in one direction. From my research, I've come to understand that every action within the lymphatic system is happening at the same time to move fluid through this system. Plus, once the fluid is taken in by the lymphatic system, the one way valves within the lymphatic vessels open and close. This ensures the fluid tracks in the rifht direction back toward the re-entry point in the circulatory system.

By going back and forth, the nubs on the roller does 3 things:

• They push and release off my lymphatic capillaries, which helps create the “suction” effect that takes in the fluid from my tissues.

• They help move fluid around in my tissues from areas that have inadequate functioning lymphatics, to areas that have adequate functioning lymphatics.

• They help keep my muscles flexible and my tissues soft which keeps fluid from becoming trapped.

Overall, rolling helps improve my circulation and tissue health. It brings oxygen and nutrients to my cells and reduces congestion in my tissues. Since perfecting my technique, I’m very pleased to say that my system of rolling has improved my lymphedema tremendously.

When I started rolling, I developed bruises in the areas where I was struggling with my lymphedema. These bruises didn’t hurt, didn’t increase my swelling or have any other adverse effects on my body. On the contrary, my lymphedema therapist noticed that the areas I was previously having difficulty with, were now improving. It did take a few months for the initial bruising to subside, but now that I’ve been rolling for over a year, I only bruise occasionally and it’s always in areas where I’m struggling with my lymphedema.

If you decide to start rolling, do it gently and only a few times a week to see how your body responds. You will know within a few weeks if rolling is right for you. Over time, you can always increase the frequency to help keep your lymphatic system moving and lymphedema in check.

Unfortunately, rolling doesn’t cure lymphedema. But, I've found that by incorporating it into my routine and wearing my Solidea Active Massage® compression garments, I keep my lymphedema and brain fog in check. It’s not just one thing that is going to help your lymphedema, it’s consistently doing self care every day to help your lymphatic system work better.

To see if Solidea Active Massage® compression is right for you click here.

However, I must note that lymphedema does affect each of us differently. It can be a bit of trial and error until you find what works best for you. How well rolling will work for you is going to depend on how well your lymphatic system is still functioning.

We are in this together!

~ Sue

P.S.

If you're interested, here is my go to garment for the lymphedema in my arm - Solidea Active Massage® Arm Sleeve

For my lower body + abdomen + lower back, I pair the Solidea Active Massage® Long with the Solidea Active Massage® Speedy Socks. If you need a little more compression in the lower leg, you can combine the Solidea Active Massage® Long with the Solidea Active Massage® Energy Socks.

Rollers I Use To Help My Lymphedema

These are the rollers that work best for me. I am not promoting or endorsing any of them. If you're interested in trying them, you can order directly from Amazon. I don't receive any commission for these products. I simply just use them personally to help my lymphedema. Hope they help you!

Acupress Jade Roller Massager Face and Neck Skin Slimming Massager Beauty Tools

Evriholder FURemover Deluxe Pet Lint Brush, Pink

AnHua Anti Cellulite Massager Body Circulation Brush Hand-Held Wood Sauna Spa Bath NEW

FWY Muscle Roller Massage Stick for Runners, Athletes, Therapy or Just Relaxation, Great for Back, Foot & Deep Tissue Massage, 23"

Tingling Scalp and Head Massager

How I Use My Rollers (Demonstrations via Facebook Live)

https://www.facebook.com/solideamedical/videos/1413634885324826/

DISCLAIMER

All the information and content contained on this website (SolideaMedical.com) and on our Facebook page (Solidea Medical) are intended for general medical and health information and educational purposes only. None of the information is intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, treatment or care. Solidea Medical makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the appropriateness, timeliness, accuracy, completeness and/or usefulness of the information and content contained on our website or on our Facebook page.