Edema Management for Orthopedic Conditions

Course Description

Whether from trauma, surgery or orthopedic issues, edema can limit function and can be difficult to resolve. Applied to orthopedic conditions, the lymphedema management techniques of manual lymphatic drainage, a gentle manual technique for edema mobilization, basic lymphedema bandaging, and kinesio tape can facilitate healing and improve function. This four hour course lecture and lab will give clinicians tools to better treat edema of an orthopedic origin.

Course Objectives

  • Participants will demonstrate an understanding of the basic anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic and venous systems, and the impact of local inflammation on those systems.
  • Participants will identify contraindications and precautions of edema intervention.
  • Participants will identify edema conditions that require referral to a certified lymphedema therapist (CLT).
  • Participants will demonstrate basic bandaging, manual lymphatic drainage, and kinesiotape techniques for the upper extremities and lower extremities.

Course outline

8:00 – 9:00 AM Anatomy and physiology of lymphatic and venous system
9:00 – 10:00 AM Lymphedema treatment principles, Starlings’s law Indications, contraindications, and precautions to lymphedema treatment Bandaging, manual lymphatic drainage and kinesiotape for the orthopedic patient
10:00 - 11:30 AM Brunch and program update
11:30 – 1:30 PM Lab: manual lymphatic drainage for lower and upper extremity. Bandaging and kinesiotape for upper and lower extremity.

Presenter

Anne Lehman PT, CLT-LANA

Anne graduated from Marquette University with her Masters in Physical Therapy in 2002, and teaching at Marquette in 2005 as a lab instructor. Since passing the Lymphoma Association of North America (LANA) exam in 2008, she is nationally certified for lymphedema treatment (CLT-LANA).

Currently, she works for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare in an outpatient orthopedic, oncology rehabilitation and lymphedema. Previously she has treated in acute, home health, and outpatient settings including initiating a lymphedema clinic within a rural hospital. For the past three years through Wheaton's Master Clinician program, she is focusing on evidence-based development of the system's cancer rehabilitation program. She also has lectured in the UW-Milwaukee DPT program on lymphedema, and the 2007 Southeastern Wisconsin Breast Cancer Forum. She is an oncology section APTA member.

References:

Chikly B. Silent Waves: Theory and Practice of Lymph Drainage Therapy : [with Applications for Lymphedema, Chronic Pain, and Inflammation]. 2004.

Casley-Smith. J Modern Treatment for Lymphoedema. Fifth edition. 1997 Kase K, Kase T, Wallis J. Clinical Therapeutic Applications of the Kinesio Taping Method - 3rd Edition.

National Lymphedema Network. Position Statement of the National Lymphedema Network. The Diagnosis and Treatment of Lymphedema. 2011

National Lymphedema Network. Position Statement of the National Lymphedema Network. Lymphedema Risk Reduction Practices. 2012

National Lymphedema Network. Position Statement of the National Lymphedema Network on Training of Lymphedema Therapists. 2010