Functional Living

05/03/2026

Lymphoedema Awareness Week begins today.

This week, we come together under one shared purpose. Improving outcomes for people living with lymphatic health conditions.

In 2026, Lymphoedema Awareness Week highlights Lymphoedema Care in Practice - shining a spotlight on the breadth, depth and diversity of lymphoedema care delivered across Australasia.

Under the theme ‘United in Care. Diverse in Practice.’, this year’s campaign recognises the highly trained and accredited professionals working across a wide range of roles, settings and specialties. While our practice environments and focus areas may vary, we are united by a shared commitment.

Different roles. Different pathways. One commitment to best practice care.

We encourage all members to proudly display the Lymphoedema Awareness Week 2026 poster (arriving imminently, if not already in your mailbox) within your workplace, clinic, hospital or university setting, and to repost/share our social media graphics on your platform.

Displaying the poster and sharing the social media graphic is a simple but powerful way to:

• Raise awareness of lymphoedema care
• Highlight your professional role
• Start important conversations within your workplace and community

United in Care. Diverse in Practice.

12/02/2026

✨ New at Functional Living ✨

🎯 Manual Lymphatic Drainage — Accessible Education for Recovery 🎯

✅ I’ve just released a series of online Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) videos, broken down into specific body areas — with clear demonstrations of MLD techniques - so you can learn what’s relevant to your body, your surgery, your recovery.

📍 These videos were created for:
👉 people who don’t live near (or have easy access to) specialist services
👉 people who’ve been told “just wait and see”
👉 people managing swelling, tightness, heaviness, or pain on their own
👉 people who want gentle, evidence-based tools they can actually use at home

No fancy equipment.
No medical jargon.
Just clear, guided techniques you can do safely and confidently.

📍 These MLD videos are for you if:
👉 You’ve had surgery, cancer treatment, injury, or trauma
👉 You notice swelling, firmness, heaviness, or tight tissues
👉 You don’t have easy access to a lymphoedema therapist
👉 You want to support your body between appointments
👉 You’re ready to be more involved in your own recovery

This is not about doing things perfectly — it’s about doing something helpful.

👉 Does your body feel tight, heavy, or uncomfortable, even months after surgery?
👉 Are services hard to access where you live — or just not affordable or available?
👉 Would you like to learn simple techniques you can do at home, in your own time?

💬 If any of this sounds like you - tell me in the comments — or come and join us inside the Functional Living community.

Functional Living is hosted on the Skool platform – where learning and community connect 👇

https://www.skool.com/functional-living/about

We'd love for you to join us!

02/02/2026

What do you do with a few spare moments in your day? 🕑

Sometimes, it’s all about multitasking! 🤸‍♀️

1. Leg sleeves on and the compression pump working its magic 🪄, giving me that rhythmic inflation/deflation to boost lymph flow and circulation. 💆‍♀️

2. Hydrating face mask on, courtesy of Therapy Skin and Brows – because glowing skin is always a win. ✨ ...or so I've been told 😁

3. Listening to a webinar and upskilling, because why not make the most of every moment? 🎧

🎖Multitasking level: Expert.
0️⃣ Motivation to get off the bed: Zero.
😌 Too relaxed to function! 😌

How do YOU spend your spare moments? 🥷

Drop your go-to routines in the comments! 👇

02/02/2026

Do you know anyone in Adelaide that has cancer-related leg swelling?

***Opportunity for people affected by cancer related leg swelling to participate in a clinical trial***

The Lymphoedema Clinical Research Unit at Flinders are seeking research participants with leg oedema/lymphoedema for a study on vibration therapy.

Participant will use a massage pad for 30-minutes everyday over 3 weeks and go to Flinders 25 times for measurements. There is a reimbursement for parking and if travel causes financial hardship. Those who live 50–150 km from Flinders may be eligible for travel reimbursement.

You will be able to keep the Niagara® Cycloid massage pad at the end of the trial.

Participants must be 45 to 75 years, diagnosed with chronic leg swelling that has been present more than 1.5 years but less than 15 years after treatment of cancer with a BMI between 25 and 34.9 kg/m2.

Please contact LCRU for further information or to see if you may be eligible.

Email: LCRU@flinders.edu.au
Phone (message bank): 8204 4903

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee # 90.24. For further information regarding the ethical approval of the project the Executive Officer of the Committee can be contacted by telephone on 8204 6453 or by email Health.SALHNOfficeforResearch@sa.gov.au

24/01/2026

11/01/2026

Lipoedema services are still lacking. 🌻

Read the story by Kaz, and learn about her lived experience with this misunderstood fat disorder.🌿

Women with lipoedema in the Northern Territory are struggling to access the care they need, forcing some to relocate for specialist treatment. The condition, often misunderstood, requires better medical support in regional Australia.

05/01/2026

💥 Custom compression garments 💥

🥺 Sometimes you get it right straight away... and sometimes you don't.

🦵 This below knee compression garment was to help with circumferential leg scarring and swelling due to necrotising fasciitis (flesh eating disease). This client was at very high risk of lymphoedema and complications due to the circumferential scarring.

😢 In the time between measuring and receiving the garment, the client's leg had swollen a bit more, and so the result was that the garment was too tight and not comfortable to wear.

✨️I had also included silicone sheeting within the garment to help hydrate the scar, and flatten scar edges.

🧦 We didn’t end up altering the garment for a better fit. The client wanted to keep using Tubigrip because it was more comfortable (although it was definitely not the preferred clinical option).

📌 In hindsight, I would have chosen another garment option - but we live, learn, adjust and make it better next time.

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas 🎄

Heartfelt thanks to all of my wonderful clients this year. 😍

2026 is going to be great 😎🎉

03/12/2025

Swollen feet.
When you live in the Aussie heat, thongs 🩴 aren’t optional—they’re practically part of the uniform.
But one of the biggest issues from people with swollen feet? 🦶
Trying to put on their favourite pair… only to realise their thongs now fit about as well as a budgie smuggler two sizes too small! 🩲😁
What are your tips for swollen feet and choice of footwear? 🩴

29/11/2025

Start them young!
Getting the grandbaby to help with cyclone clean up.

28/11/2025

❓️ Can you tell the difference❓️
🦶This gentleman had a swollen left leg that affected his mobility and general comfort.
🦵Initially his leg was shiny with a lot of swelling, which was pitting (leaving an indent in the skin when pressed).
⛽️Using a compression pump daily for two weeks, 3 x day, for 15mins each time, has made a big difference. He was unable to tolerate longer sessions due to back issues.
🗝But it just shows that consistency is key. This man can now walk better, has less pain and ache, and his leg is lighter. He has lost approx 3.8cm in leg circumference.
💪We're now going to transition him to compression garments so that he can maintain the good gains made.
It's often the simple things..... 🎉

15/11/2025

✨️ Custom compression garments ✨️
Sometimes the Measurement Gods are on your side - when you get the garment 'just right', first go, no alterations required 💪👊🙌
This whole body garment took approximately 2 hours to measure - and it fit like a glove! 🥊

Winning 🏆🏅🎊🕺
These are the days that you love being a Lymphoedema Therapist 😎