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L-W-O Community

For those living with Primary, Secondary & Paediatric Lymphoedema Online & in the Community

Learning New Practices

From our very early days of using social media, and how to get our message across to raise awareness of lymphoedema there have been many pitfalls and learning experiences, but when 2020 arrived and our whole way of life changed due to Covid-19 thank goodness we had the experiences and connections to continue with very little disruption.  Many organisations will have found themselves scrambling to keep up or find new ways of using social media and the internet to get their messages across to their clients, customers and patients.

Video conferencing has become the new norm for meetings and webinars for education and other learning experiences and thankfully L-W-O Community was prepared for both.  However, the new challenges are how to keep moving when you have a two-hour screen time webinar and making sure you stay hydrated.   Watch our new video with useful tips and suggestions.


Movement helps move the lymph fluid around your body.  The lymphatic system does not have its own pump.  Lymph flow depends on the muscles working like a pump to encourage drainage and prevent fluid from accumulating in your tissue. The only way to stop it stagnating and causing problems is to keep the fluid moving.

Adapting Work Practices

One of the workplaces I was impressed with was when L-W-O was invited was the George Headquarters at Lutterworth in 2017/2018, where apart from their cafe there were lots of places to sit away from the workplace to chat to colleagues and hold meetings. 

After attending body language courses many moons ago one of the suggestions was that if you are on the phone to a customer or client then instead of sitting, stand to take your phone call.  From a business point of view the idea is that if you were standing you were in a more powerful position to get you point across.  Not sure I agree with this thought process, but the principle is good for getting you out of your seat and is especially good to keep your lymph flowing.

In 2018/19 I was invited to lots of meeting in Coventry relating to self-care and social care and there was a great movement where instead of meeting in offices or boardrooms we would walk down to the local coffee shop or better still, pick up your coffee and do a walk and talk.  I was surprised that not having to be indoors and away from the normal meeting places how much more productive we all were.  This way of working was not only good for physical health but mental health.  However, Covid-19 has put a stop to many of these working practices and working from home has become the new norm and will probably be with us for the rest of 2020.  

 

Homeworking or Not

Working from home is something many more people have had to get use to during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. Whether you are a teacher having to connect with your pupils, a parent home schooling or an office worker, spending more time on a laptop, making conference calls or phone calls the chances are you will be sitting for long periods of time with a laptop in front of you.  You become stiff and your limbs start to swell.  You must take regular breaks, move around, and drink plenty of fluids to keep lymphoedema swelling to a minimum.

Get Moving

It is essential you have even a few minutes away from your work station

 

  • Walk around your home whenever you can
  • Stretch at your desk
  • Wear your compression
  • Elevate limbs 
  • Get up and make yourself a cuppa
  • Weather permitting go outside take in the fresh air with deep breathing exercises
  • If possible work outside
  • Get up from your workstation walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water
  • Take a lunch break
  • Do not eat at your desk
  • Go out for a walk at lunch time
  • Keep to a routine
  • Wash your hands whenever you can
  • Remember keyboards, phones, tablets are a source of bacteria so regularly give them a wipe.

 

Make sure you have adequate ventilation, a stuffy work space is likely to make you more lethargic and less productive. 


Invisible Disabilities

Page first published on our Get Moving page 20th July 2018

New Page created 28/06/2020

Last updated 09/08/2020