Lymphatic Drainage of A Sprained Ankle By Water Pressure

By Suzanne Leclerc, Lymphotherapist, Lymphatic drainage specialist, Aqua Lymphatique therapist

You get out of your car and walk a bit too fast on the icy sidewalk. And OHHHHHHH! You fall!!! You injured your ankle.

The doctor tells you to raise your ankle, put ice and compression on it and rest. According to him, the swelling will take about 3 weeks to come down.

WHAT??? 3 WEEKS???

It’s the job of your lymphatic system to drain from your ankle the blood effusion and any excess fluid that got your ankle to swell after your accident. Your lymphatic system pumps 7 times a minute. How could you increase the speed of lymphatic pumping? By increasing the compression around your ankle.

YES, BUT HOW?

By using water pressure: while standing in the water, the level of the pressure changes from higher pressure at the ankle to lower pressure at the water surface. You could reduce your period of recuperation from 3 weeks up to 1 week!

THEREFORE:

In a bucket 30 cm high = 22 mmHg pressure at the ankle

In a bin (clean!) 50 cm high = 36.5 mmHg pressure

In a pool 1 meter deep = 73 mmHg pressure

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE USE OF A PERSONNAL WATER TANK

1. The use of a knee high bucket ( about 50 cm high) will be sufficient.
2. You can do 20 minutes sessions several times a day
3. You will have your personal tank of water which reduces the risk of infections.
4. You will do muscle pumping by walking in place in your bucket
5. The water temperature should be thermo-neutral: it shouldn’t feel neither cold nor hot

And Voila! Next time.....wear your crampons!!!!

Contact Suzanne