Going swimming. Do I need to wear my sleeve?

cowgal

I will be in a swimming pool the end of the week. I have to wear a compression sleeve every day and wear a night garment as well. Do I need to wear a sleeve while I am swimming or will the water be therapeutic to the lymphedema? I won't be doing anything real strenuous in the water, except possibly some water aerobics on one morning but otherwise just gentle swimming to stay cool.

MinusTwo

You will probably be OK if you keep under water up past your shoulders. If you try water aerobics, start small.

Vargadoll

We just recently had a pool installed at our house. We had a pool at our old house and the plan since we moved in 4 years ago was to add a pool here. Now with that said...it took 3 days to fill the pool and after letting the water warm up a bit I got in. Big mistake! The water was 75 degrees which felt ok. Much to my surprise my LE arm and boob swelled so much I gained myself 5 weeks of PT. I didn't wear my sleeve I had ask when I was fitted because I knew we were doing the pool. I didn't even think about the water being to cold...duh! I got really mad at myself and at BC! Also if you have had radiation I was told no pool or swimming 6-8 weeks and after that to be sure to keep the sun block on or a cover.

Vargadoll

We just recently had a pool installed at our house. We had a pool at our old house and the plan since we moved in 4 years ago was to add a pool here. Now with that said...it took 3 days to fill the pool and after letting the water warm up a bit I got in. Big mistake! The water was 75 degrees which felt ok. Much to my surprise my LE arm and boob swelled so much I gained myself 5 weeks of PT. I didn't wear my sleeve I had ask when I was fitted because I knew we were doing the pool. I didn't even think about the water being to cold...duh! I got really mad at myself and at BC! Also if you have had radiation I was told no pool or swimming 6-8 weeks and after that to be sure to keep the sun block on or a cover.

Kicks

I have been told not to wear sleeve and glove while swimming. The compression (elasticity) is compromised when wet and stretched as it would be if worn wet and left on to dry. Think about it - when taken off to wash they are somewhat stretched from wear but when come out of the washer they are back to as tbe were. I've never worn mine to go swimming but I have succeeded in falling in the lake or slipping down a creek bank getting soaked while out fishing. A thought to also think about is that 'pool' water is usually highly chlorinated which will to do 'job' on basically any material.

I, too, wear my day garments and night garment daily and use my FlexiTouch daily. When I go to a pool or water park, I just don't worry about it and leave sleeve and glove off for a few hours and haven't had any problems. An idea would be to take an old set and religate them to being the 'swimming sleeve/glove' and keep it with swimsuit and swim gear. I rotate my old sets when I get new ones into another 'life' when I get my 2 new sets every 6 months. I keep a 'used' set in the tool boxes in each vehicle, a set in the boat, a set in the tack boxes, a set in the horse trailer, a set in my house toolbox, a set in each of my tackle bags (fly and spinning) so that if have to do something that might ruin (stain/tear/etc.) that might be 'messy' or 'rough', (like changing a tire or 'anything') I can change to a set that doesn't really matter if they get damaged thus 'protecting' my new ones. When I get new sets, I use a permanent marker and put the month and year on the tag in them so no question which is newer. Sometimes with repeated washings, it will fade so just remark.

At least that's how I deal.

hugz4u

varga 75 might be a bit extreme cold compared to 98 degree body temp. What I was thinking though is if your bathing suit top was to tight constricting your trunk lymph flow or maybe to much exercise if your not usd to it. Nine out of ten water decreasesswelling so I find this different. But then each person is different.

No need to wear compression in water because water is compression.

Cowgal, minus is right. Water over shoulders. Water walking is great and just drag your arms behind as you walk if you want no harm.

I keep my arms down low so I get more compression from wrist and less towards shoulders. No one told me to do this but I think it makes sense because it mimics a compression sleeve. Not one hundred percent sure though.

avmom

Cowgal, I saw my lymphedema therapist this month (post surgery I had LE symptoms on my right side - sleeve and glove during the daytime only - now the left arm is affected also -argh!) and she said that swimming is great, with no sleeve required. Like hugz, she says that the water acts as compression, so no garments are necessary.

I'm off for vacation next to a lake at the end of this week, and am hoping the water is wam enough to swim every day. Best to everyone

cowgal

Thanks everyone! I guess my biggest worry then is the pool temperature.

MinusTwo

Cowgirl - I still do wear one of my older compression bra/vests when I'm in the pool. Makes me feel more secure.

Like Kicks - I recycle my compression bras & sleeves & gloves. And I LOVE the idea of keeping a set in the trunk, and the toolbox, and etc. My main concern is that in the Houston summer, the trunk is often higher than 150-180 degrees. I used to keep a pair of sneakers in the trunk but they didn't last one summer. I am going to put an old pair in my normal 'go' bag though.

Kicks

Our summers definately are very short as opposed to Houston. But we can get into the high 90's - 100's. Here for the most part really cold temps might come into play a lot. I don't have compression bras but I don't think I'd keep a bra in my boxes to change into .

I don't have a "go" bag but my "bug-out" bag which has all sorts of survival gear just in case. Here we do have very extremes in weather and I want to have what I need to be at least close to 'comfortable' or at least safe.