01.07.2024
Lipoedema column - part 2
Lipoedema and summer: the fear of pain
Summer used to mean carefree days at the swimming pool for me, but now hot days are associated with aching, swollen legs. As a lipoedema sufferer, I know how difficult summer can be, but I have learnt a few tips to help me enjoy summer more .
I would like to share a few personal experiences with you and hope that they will help you to enjoy summer with a little more ease.
I used to love summer. I was the first to go to the swimming pool and could hardly wait for the warm and hot days. Now I get a stomach ache when I know the hotter days are coming again. I think of sore legs that are full of water and tense. The shoes pinch and everyday life becomes harder than it already is.
For people with lipoedema, summer can be a stressful time. compression stockings can help with the pain and water retention. My first thought when my doctor said: "You should wear compression, especially in summer", was that it couldn't possibly be possible!
Thick tights in summer are supposed to help me?
Every lipoedema sufferer who has compression knows how difficult it is to get into them and if you sweat you can totally forget about it.
I would now like to share a few personal experiences and thoughts with you on how you can still enjoy the summer a little with lipoedema.
What helps me in summer
1. Dry brushing in the morning. Stimulates the lymph and is very pleasant.
2 Shower your legs with cold water. Sounds worse than it is. Make sure you give it a try :)
3. Go swimming. This is a very good sport for us with lipoedema. It is easy on the joints and stimulates the lymph flow.
4. Anti-inflammatory diet. It helped me a lot with my pain and is now a help for me and my body in summer.
5. Half an hour in the Venen Engel at the end of the day.
6. Comfortable clothing. I find loose-fitting clothes with comfortable fabrics are best.
I can now enjoy the summer a little more, as I find my tips mentioned above to be a great help in everyday life with lipoedema.
The hotter temperatures in summer can be an uncomfortable time for you. Just see what's good for you and pay attention to your body's signals and don't let social expectations put you under pressure. For me, it was always this feeling of everyone going out and looking forward to summer and me being so grumpy and thinking about aching legs and just wanting cool temperatures.
Summer is here for all of us, we just have to see how we can manage it with lipoedema so that we don't suffer too much.
So be sure to enjoy the warm days in your own way.
All the best to you,
Talia