Manual lymphatic drainage

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a massage therapy technique that falls within the fields of physical therapy and alternative medicine. It is based on an unproven hypothesis that the natural drainage of lymph, which carries waste products from the tissues back to the heart, can be stimulated. Manual lymphatic drainage uses a specific amount of pressure (less than 40 grams per square cm or about 4 kPa) and rhythmic circular movements to stimulate lymph flow.

It is intended to “activate the functioning of the surface lymphatic system to improve the elimination of interstitial fluid and large molecules and facilitate their evacuation.”

Clinical studies of MLD conclude that further study of the practice is needed before recommending it as an effective health treatment. And although it is used as a complementary treatment in cases of lymphedema , it has not shown significant effects.

In the case of alternative medicine, it is a type of massage that aims to “detoxify” the body by removing “blockages” in the lymphatic system.

The practice of manual lymphatic drainage was started by Danish physicians Emil Vodder and Estrid Vodder in the 1930s for the treatment of chronic sinusitis and other immune disorders. While working on the French Riviera treating patients with chronic colds, the Vodders noticed that these patients had swollen lymph nodes .

In the 1930s, the lymphatic system was not well understood. However, this did not stop the Vodders, and in 1932, they began to study the lymphatic system, developing a technique of light, rhythmic hand movements to promote lymphatic movement. In 1936 they introduced this technique in Paris, France, and after World War II they returned to Copenhagen to teach other practitioners how to use this therapy.

Source: Wikipedia