Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - Episode 297

Today I’d like to tell you about a paper by a group of researchers in Ankara, Turkey.
The article is called: The Effects of Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy Applications on Lower Extremity Circumference and Volume in Patients with Lipedema and was published in the medical journal Lymphatic Research and Biology in 2020.
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of complex decongestive physiotherapy, or CDP, plus the use of an intermittent pneumatic compression pump on limb circumference and volume in patients with lipedema.
This same research group investigated previously if a CDP alone or when combined with a pump was superior for treating lipedema.
I reported about that study in Flash Briefing episode 189.
Although this study is limited by the lack of a control group, the findings demonstrate that a combination of complete decongestive physiotherapy and a pump may be a good option for the treatment of lipedema.
Further study is needed to evaluate further the importance of including manual lymph drainage in treatment, but this modality should not be excluded at this time due to its potential benefits.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021 – Episode 297