Which sport for lipedema?

As a lipedema sufferer, the question of whether there is a suitable sport for you and the accompanying symptoms of the disease keeps popping into your head. And as if the hellish pain wasn’t debilitating enough, losing fat in the affected areas is really very difficult and tedious. Unfortunately, lipedema cannot be trained away, which can make motivation difficult. However, you should not let this stop you, as suitable exercise is important for you and your body. Exercise can help you to alleviate the pain and strengthen the connective tissue and muscles, which in turn can have a positive effect on your physical and health condition.

How does exercise help with lipedema?

Once you have found the right lipedema exercises for you, you will quickly notice the positive results. Even if you don’t lose a lot of circumference in the desirable areas through exercise, it is still really important for lipedema patients to keep their weight stable. In addition, you will very quickly notice a reduction in discomfort, which will significantly relieve the strain of everyday life. Targeted exercises also promote lymphatic drainage and stimulate the metabolism. Wearing supportive compression garments during exercise is always recommended if you also suffer from lymphoedema and in the initial period after liposuction. But whether you notice a positive development in your body through sport or after liposuction, you will definitely gain a whole new sense of self-esteem, which will allow you to put self-doubt to one side and finally feel more comfortable in your body again.

Which sports are particularly suitable for lipedema patients?

You have to find out for yourself which sports are ultimately suitable for you, because you are the one who knows and understands your body best. In this case, you should always listen to the signals and be particularly careful with them. First and foremost, it’s about slowly getting your body used to moderate full-body and endurance training again. These sports are particularly suitable for lipedema sufferers:

• Water sports
• cycling
• cross trainer
• Nordic walking
• Walks
• Swinging movements on a trampoline
• Hula Hoop

Basically, all sports with flowing movements are suitable. However, the most important thing is that you enjoy it and that you like doing the exercises!

Finding the right motivation for exercise with lipedema

In any case, you should not stress yourself or put yourself under pressure. You don’t have to run a marathon to be sporty. Just integrating a walk in the evening into your daily routine is still more sporty than doing nothing at all. Physical activity is not a question of your state of health, but of your inner attitude. After all, you are the one who consciously decides to do something good for your body. Don’t compare yourself with others. Every body is different, whether you have lipedema or not. Everyone has to find the sport that suits them and that they enjoy. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right sport for you, it’s just important that you keep at it.

What treatment is effective against lipedema?

Being diagnosed with lipedema is a really big shock on the one hand, but on the other hand it is also a relief because you can now be sure that it is not your own fault that your body has developed in this way. As lipedema cannot be cured, the primary goal is to carry out a therapy to alleviate and improve the symptoms. As things stand today, there are only two options for this therapy that you can choose from:

• Conservative therapy: lymphatic drainage, compression garments, appropriate nutrition, exercise, weight management, skin care, etc.
• Surgical removal of the abnormal fatty tissue: liposuction

Conservative or surgical therapy?

In the end, it is you who feels the impairment and suffers mentally and physically. First and foremost, the severity of the lipedema disease and the extent to which you are restricted in your normal everyday life by the pain must be taken into account. However, if you decide in favour of conservative treatment for the time being because you are unsure, this is still the better option than doing nothing at all. However, you should see to what extent this therapy helps you. If it does not achieve a satisfactory result, surgical removal of the abnormal fatty tissue should be considered as an alternative.

We will be happy to help you find the right approach for you and your body.

Arrange a consultation with one of our lipedema specialists at any time.