LymphaTouch helped a professional athlete recover from an acute injury

Background

A Finnish cross-country skier fell and suffered a serious soft tissue injury to his left thigh. He used crutches for the first weeks and was able to give them up after a couple of weeks. Swelling and interstitial fluid build-up in the injured area became an obstacle to rehabilitation, and 2.5 weeks after the injury there were still no signs of it reducing.

Swelling in the thigh and knee limited the knee's range of motion, and there was also significant tightness in the thigh. At the first physiotherapy visit, knee flexion was 70 degrees and active range of motion in a two-legged squat was 80 degrees. LymphaTouch treatments started four weeks after the injury.

LymphaTouch treatment

The aim of the LymphaTouch treatments was to reduce swelling and tightness in the injured area. The athlete carried out the treatments himself after receiving instructions on how to use the device and which treatment protocols to follow. He used the preoperative programme (30 min) and a local treatment programme (10 min) to relieve tension in the thigh.

Treatments took place on average every other day, with around 20 to 30 minutes per session.

Results

The treatment was pleasant and painless from the start. After each session, the athlete noticed that the feeling of pressure in the thigh had eased.

The first clear signs of improvement appeared after the first week, around the fifth treatment. Swelling around the knee reduced significantly and knee mobility improved. The tightness in the thigh softened during the first week, as the tissue began to lift under negative pressure.

At four weeks, the swelling and tightness had gone completely. After the four-week treatment period, knee flexion was 140 degrees, and 120 degrees in a standing two-legged squat. From then on, the aim of the LymphaTouch treatment shifted to supporting recovery from training.

Comments

The athlete found the device easy to use, effective and painless. The physiotherapist noted that the knee's range of motion increased significantly and quickly once LymphaTouch treatment began.