Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2023/04, 71S281-S282. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18336, type of study: ,ppt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.18336)

Keywords:

geriatrics [141]
lower extremities [27]
lymphedema [6]
OMT [3924]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3945]
pretest posttest design [240]

Abstract:

Background: Lymphatic techniques are gentle and passive techniques long speculated to return lymph into circulation. Previously, the only studies measuring lymphatic movement were performed on animal models. Recent preliminary data in healthy subjects showed a significant decrease in lower leg volume using the Osteopathic Lymphatic Pedal Pump. However, these findings have not been tested in the elderly population until now. Methods: Twenty geriatric patients from the New Jersey Institute of Successful Aging at Virtua-Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine were enrolled in the study. The requirement for inclusion in the study was chronic lower extremity edema. Exclusion criteria included patients with acute asthma or COPD, acute congestive heart failure, active infections or fractures of the lower extremities, or metastatic cancer. Treatment consisted of the application of the myofascial thoracic inlet release followed by 5 minutes of the pedal lymphatic pump. A volumetric gauge was used to measure lower limb volume both before and after treatment. Immediately following the protocol treatment, the measurements were taken using the same leg to determine post-treatment lower limb volume. Results: The average change in lower limb volume was 76.90 mL (standard deviation of 65.89 mL). There was a statistically significant change (p = 0.001) between pre-and post-treatment limb volumes. Minimum and maximum displacements were -12 mL and -242 mL, respectively. In a post hoc analysis, patients with the most appreciable change also had comorbidities of type II diabetes mellitus (p < .001; M = 113.75 mL; SD = 88.399 mL), history of DVT (p = 038; M = 120.50 mL; SD = 105.5 mL), or obesity (p = .004; M = 94.3 mL; SD = 86.82 mL). Conclusion: The osteopathic pedal pump technique is a safe and efficacious technique that can assist elderly patients in significantly, albeit temporarily, reducing lower limb edema.