Lipoedema is a chronic inflammatory condition of connective tissues and fat which usually builds up in the legs, thighs, hips, and sometimes the arms.  It usually affects both sides of the body and affects more women than men.

It is genetic and it is not the same as obesity.  They usually find it hard to buy suits as their upper body usually fits into a much smaller size than their lower body.  They may fit into a size 6 jacket, but they need a size 10 pants.  They need size 10 pants not because of the waist, but because of their thighs and hips are bigger.  It usually becomes worse or triggered when hormones changes in life such as around puberty, pregnancy, menopause, when using contraceptive pills, after hysterectomy or after hormone therapy for breast cancer treatment.

 In the early stages, you may probably feel some tightness in the skin around your hips, thighs, legs, or upper arms, or gain some weight without changing any of your life routine. You may feel some difficulty fitting into the arm sleeves of your clothes or the upper part of your pants.  Later you may find it to move such as harder crossing your legs or bending your knees.

You may find no success in losing weight or it becomes plateau after a while.   Your emotions may get affected.  You may find your skin or the fat underneath getting more lumpy as it progresses.  They may become too tender to rub or massage.  They may bruise easily and the joints may be sore.  Sometimes you may notice swelling on your legs, ankles or feet at the end of the day if the lipoedema  has  affected the lymphatic system which can be in any stages. You may also find your skin getting more dry and irritated.

The main thing for Lipoedema is to get it recognised early.  If you suspect you may have lipoedema, contact Lipoedema Australia, a lymphoedema therapist or a GP, who is trained to diagnose lipoedema or contact our clinic, we would be able to help you or direct you to the right person.  If you start doing the right things early to manage Lipoedema, you have a better chance to slow down the progression of Lipoedema and improve the quality of life.

Management can include

• Excluding any lymphoedema component with the Sozo machine analysis (measures fluid in the legs)
• Confirming your lipoedema diagnosis (lipoedema is only a clinical diagnosis, there is no test for it)
• Liaising with GP or specialists with interest in Lipoedema
• Education of self management and how to perform fibrotic connective manual lymphatic massage to loosen the fibrotic tissues with tools
• Compression garment prescription
• Shockwave therapy can be offered
• Resistance training, low carb high protein diet, vibration therapy
• Teaching you 1:1 hydrotherapy exercises at your local pool at your request
• Referral to our partnered physiologist who has good understanding for lipoedema
• Bowel management can be offered if patients has IBS symptoms as our physiotherapist is both qualified lymphoedema and gut focused physiotherapist.
• Pelvic floor education and functional training when doing resistance training to avoid pelvic organ prolapse (especially for those patients who have hypermobility at the same time)