Knee pain sucks! And it can manifest in many different ways. No matter what the root cause of your knee pain is, lymphatic work can help decrease swelling in the knee, creating less stress and pressure throughout. It may not solve every issue, but it can certainly be a tool in your toolbox for maintenance and daily care.
When the knee swells, it creates mechanical and chemical pressure in the knee. The physical pressure of excess fluid in the knee creates pain by pushing on anatomical structures, allowing for less freedom and range of motion. Excess fluid also creates a sort of chemical pressure on the knee, as this fluid contains a back-up of dead cells, cellular debris and other potentially harmful or unnecessary substances. Swelling often means stagnation, but with lymph work, we can turn it around.
The key to lymph work is ALWAYS starting at the neck. This is where the lymphatic system "ends", or where clean fluid is put back into blood circulation. When we start at the neck, we encourage fluid flow OUT of the system, which in turn lowers the internal pressure of the lymphatic system, a key sign that it can start absorbing more fluid from tissues throughout the body.
After opening the neck, briefly clear the pathway that fluid from the knee will be taking. This way, when you get to the knee, fluid that you're needing to move has a place to go. This means opening up the neck, armpits, abdomen and groin.
Using the breath is also a very simple and effective way to encourage fluid movement throughout the body.
Here's a tutorial that walks you through the whole thing:
Feel free
to reach out with any questions or to let me know what you think!
If you're interested in learning self lymphatic drainage techniques, schedule a virtual self lymphatic drainage session with me where I'll teach you to work this system with your own two hands!
Thanks for reading (and watching!)
D