Arm Swelling: SELF Lymph Drainage Massage

Learn how to perform self lymphatic massage to your arms to help decrease swelling. Hand or forearm swelling after shoulder surgery is a fairly common occurrence and can be quite painful and very limiting functionally. This swelling is often caused by a lack of lymphatic flow of the arm and can be helped with exercises. Learn how to assist the lymphatic flow to help "drain" your arm and regain full function. To learn more about your shoulder and how to regain full function, please check out my shoulder course:

Please leave questions down below in the comment section ~ Thanks, Ed

[kristinadziedzicwright]

This is a very informative and helpful video, but I can’t do the motion you demonstrate for the superficial stimulation of the lymphatic system because I am unable to lift my arm for another 4 weeks after rotator cuff surgery. How can I adapt that motion to my arm in a stationary position?

[prestonvierra]

Your video has been so helpful. I had shoulder surgery 5 weeks ago and assumed the swelling and stiffness in my hands and fingers were due from being in a sling 24/7 so thought nothing of it. But I’ve been growing increasingly concerned because my arm mobility has improved with physical therapy but my hand was still swollen and I could barely move my fingers. I’ve been googling and your video is the only source I’ve found with a reasonable explanation for it and practical exercises to do. I’ve tried them only once and see a huge difference. I can now make a fist. Thank you!

[johnaleck]

Excellent. I will give these techniques a go and get back to you. Thank you.

[helenho]

I did 6 rounds in one go. Arm loosened up right away. Shoulder surgery 6 weeks ago. May you & family have peace, happiness, and prosperity 🙏🙏🙏

[gregleightonalcock]

Thank you Ed. Your tutorial on hand swelling after shoulder injury is exactly what ai need. Very well done and explained. I will take all the steps you outlined and include along with my physio daily. Thank you! Greg

[camsasser]

Thanks for the tips! When I had a mastectomy with several lymph nodes removed years back, I had swelling and stiffness in that armpit-to-side-of-chest wall area. A nurse told me to massage just like you demonstrated here. I didn't think it would help, but the swelling dramatically reduced overnight after the first time I tried it. All that said, my husband fractured his proximal humerus 10 days ago, and after a few days in the sling with no exercises, the purple bruising down his forearm and into his hand is spectacular. So is the swelling. His arm is particularly swollen below his elbow, but his wrist and hand are swollen so badly it scares me. We are just now starting to do some muscle-clenching exercises (no one at the ER or the orthopedic office told him to do any of this initially!). I will start him on the thoracic massage and will do the light massage up his hand and forearm, but he cannot move his upper arm at all yet, so how to continue that massage up his upper arm and over to his clavicle, without him lifting or moving his arm? And how do I elevate his hand above heart level whenever he can't move his upper arm?

[oldbab]

thanks so much...what a relief...got no info from hospital on recovery

[nahal]

Thank you for the video. I had open left elbow surgery two days ago to fix a fracture with some plates and stitch a torn tendon back. My hand is pretty swollen and I’m doing the massage near the armpit and I think it’s helping somewhat.

[alistubbins]

Thanks for the info, my hand is really stiff after shoulder fracture repair . I will give these exercises a try . Thanks for sharing

[anthonyconte]

Very helpful video. I had Distal Biceps Tendon Repair performed 10 weeks ago. Surgery was a success and both Tendon and Bone are healing well. At around week 7, I noticed swelling in my fingers and palm - surgical side (with no real pain). Fingers are somewhat stiffened from the swelling. The swelling has remained like this for the past 3 weeks. Surgeon says it's unrelated to surgery and that it may be from the hot weather He prescribed Medrol Steroid pak or Advil 600mg. 4-6x/day.
I tried the Advil for 2 days - no reduction in swelling. I'd rather not take Steroid. I am going to try your recommended exercizes. Please respond with any further info. if you can. Thanks again for taking the time to help us out with your video.

[MrRayrenz]

Thank you so much. I had a plating on my humerus and the swelling hasn't gone down after 3 days. This would help.

[vlaugtug]

I was very interested to see this video. I have significant swelling and pain to the point where my hand is almost useless, after shoulder replacement. My question, is this repairable and in your experience, have you seen this resolve How long does it take. Thank you

[ksgal]

Is there any benefit to doing the lymphatic pulls more than 10 times? Is there any contraindication for doing that or is Moore not necessarily better?

[chainring]

Thanks, great video on things I can do to try to help my hand stiffness and swelling! Curious, why didn't you show how to massage the thoracic duct to help that drain? At 4:28, you said a practitioner could do that, and at 7:08, you said a PT or bodyworker could do that. Is it too difficult for the patient to learn to drain the thoracic duct?

[kellyparratt]

Thank you, Ed, for the info. I had shoulder surgery 8 weeks ago (reconstruction of the rotator cuff - a graft with 7 large anchor screws) and while the shoulder seems to be healing nicely, my hand is very swollen, stiff and painful. I can't even bend my fingers, let alone squeeze a ball. How long will this take to heal? Since it's my right hand this is very frustrating. Other than the exercises you mentioned, is there anything else that would reduce the inflammation?

[milkamukiri]

How should someone sleep with the. Swollen hand after a broken shoulder?

[dondon]

its been 2 years since i have shoulder surgery with my rorator cuff. i still suffer a little bit of swelling in my rotator cuff? any advise?

[usedberoche]

Hi just rotator cuff surgery 2 weeks ago and now my right arm, breast and back are all swollen - is this likely to work for them or are there additional excercises.

[angielavelle]

Not sure how you can do lymphatic massage with arm in sling !

[escmacs]

Hello - I had bad fall 2 weeks ago. Dislocated my right shoulder and fractured the top of humerus. How often do I do this and how soon will it help the swelling and numbness in my right hand?