Hypermobility is a common side effect of Lipedema that can lead to swelling, lymphatic dysfunction, and even joint dislodgment over time. From ICMCE and in order to offer you information of interest to facilitate your recovery, we tell you everything you need to know.
If you've been living with Lipedema, you're more than familiar with the onslaught of physical and emotional discomfort, as well as the life-altering side effects, that come with fat storage disorder. Joint and connective tissue hypermobility is one of the less talked about side effects of Lipedema that you should be aware of.
Hypermobility and Ehler-Danlos Syndrome
Hypermobility is the ability to move/flex the joints beyond the normal range of motion and is prevalent in patients with Lipedema. One study showed that more than half of lipedema patients with an average age of 50 years and an average BMI of around 39 kg showed hypermobile joints, suggesting a risk of future joint damage and impaired gait. .
The link of hypermobility with Lipedema is known as Ehler-Danlos Syndrome, a perplexing joint and connective tissue disorder that encompasses approximately 13 different subtypes of connective tissue disorders. The classic telltale symptom of Lipedema, Ehler's-Danlos also demonstrates indications of thin, painful skin that is easily bruised creating bruises.
How do hypermobility and Ehler's Danlos disease develop in patients with Lipedema?
A loss of elasticity in the connective tissues surrounding joints allows fluid to pool within fatty tissue instead of draining through the body's lymphatic system.
Compromised blood and lymphatic flow to these connective tissues can result in the accumulation of metabolic wastes. The accumulation of debris generates a vicious cycle of sustained inflammation and degradation of the subcutaneous tissue.
Over time, fatty connective tissue is remodeled and repaired by fibrous scar tissue during a process known as fibrosis. This permanent scar tissue within the fat cells is what makes living with Lipedema so troublesome and challenging, which can lead to harmful loosening of the joints.
What can patients with Lipedema do to take care of their joints?
Living with Lipedema means persistent, lifelong care with treatment options to help control and/or mitigate symptoms and slow the progression of fat storage disorder. To keep joints healthy and safe, we leave you with the following recommendations:
- Fill your plate with fresh, healthy food options like fatty, heart-healthy fish, raw nuts, and lean sources of protein.
- Avoid refined sugars and processed packaged foods.
- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated, satiated, and energized.
- Incorporate low to moderate impact exercises into your daily routine, especially of an aquatic nature. Swimming and water movements provide the perfect amount of resistance for muscle building and bone health without adding unnecessary pressure to compromised joints.
- Wear well-fitting compression garments whenever possible, especially during the day and while exercising to support joints and stimulate lymphatic flow.
- Incorporate manual drainage massages weekly to dislodge buildup, increase blood flow, and alleviate pain/pressure.
- Add joint-supportive supplements to your diet, such as calcium, carnitine, COQ10, glucosamine, magnesium, silica, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
Because Lipedema fat does not respond to diet and exercise and can worsen if left untreated or mismanaged, joints are constantly under threat of becoming hypermobile and worse, dislodged. Make sure you are always up to date with the latest treatment innovations and therapies to help slow the progression of Lipedema to the later stages that pose a damaging risk to the joints.
For more information, contact our Center in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Daniel J. Rodríguez Morales de los Ríos and put yourself in the hands of the best prepared and trained specialist in the Canary Islands in Lipedema.
Do you want our exceptional specialist, the Dr. Daniel J. Rodríguez Morales de los Ríos, value your case? Call us, we will be happy to assist you!
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