Last night I went to a club downtown to see a show with my friend. We danced for hours, and I had a complete blast. A few hours into the evening, however, I noticed that my leg was beginning to feel sort of swollen and uncomfortable. I ignored it and kept dancing – big mistake! This morning, my leg still felt a little puffy, even after wearing my nighttime compression garment while I slept.

How could I (and you!) avoid this problem while hitting the dance floor? I put together a list of advice that will hopefully help you to have a great time without worrying about your lymphedema.

Tips for Dancing Without Getting All Hot ‘n Bothered, by ALEXA
–Take frequent breaks. If you go hard without taking a break, you’ll end up extremely tired and your lymphedema will become exacerbated. If you can, sit down somewhere and prop up your leg so it can be elevated, even if it’s just for a little while.
–HYDRATE. Can’t stress this one enough. This isn’t even a lymphie tip, just a common sense one: If you’re gonna be dancing for hours on end, you need to stay hydrated!! Drink a cup of water every hour or so, at leasttttt. Your body will thank you!
–Avoid tight or constrictive clothing. Girls, that means ditch the hotpants for something a little looser. The tighter your clothing is, the harder it is for fluid to flow. Basically, you’re just making a difficult job even more difficult for your body, and that’s no good!
–Wear a compression garment. Lame, I know. But if you can wing it, try and wear your compression garment. It will help the fluids flow a little better, and hey, you can act like it’s a part of some kind of fashion statement!
–Listen to your body. If your leg (or other affected limb) is starting to feel uncomfortable or painful, by all means, stop what you’re doing and take a break! If your swelling has increased, it’s a sign that your body needs you to take care of yourself and that you need to pay attention.
–Have fun!! I’m such a cheeseball, but seriously.. don’t get bogged down by your lymphedema and instead have a great time going out! Too many of my nights have been ruined by worrying about my leg, but I’ve finally learned not to let it hold me back from having a good time. If you take care of your body, your body will take care of you, and that’s all there is to it.