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Finding the Perfect Fit for Comfort: A Guide to Fitting Compression Garments for Lymphedema
Have your patients ever struggled to wear compression garments for lymphedema treatment as much as they should, because their garments don’t fit and aren’t optimally effective? Have they ever spent hundreds - or even thousands - of dollars on custom compression garments for lymphedema treatment and yet still find them so uncomfortable that they don’t wear them?
Fortunately, the solution is as simple as taking the time to ensure that patients have high-quality compression garments that offer the correct fit with the right amount of compression, and are comfortable enough to wear all day (or night). To achieve this, it’s important that lymphedema therapists and certified compression garment fitters know how to achieve the perfect fit for their patients.
Why Proper Fitting Matters
Compression therapy is one of the cornerstones of lymphedema treatment, and it offers significant benefits for lymphedema patients. It works by helping the trapped lymph fluid to move and drain more easily, improving lymphatic circulation and reducing both swelling and discomfort. Compression is a key component of Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), one of the most effective treatments for lymphatics care. In order for compression therapy to work properly, pressure needs to be firm and even throughout the affected area. Properly selected and fitted compression garments provide this solution, as they are built specifically to provide ongoing, targeted pressure to the proper areas for long periods of time.
The dangers of poorly fitted compression garments are twofold. First, if the garment doesn’t fit - for example if it’s too big, or has gaps - the pressure will not be targeted and even enough to be effective, and the patient will not experience relief or lessening of symptoms. Alternatively, if a garment is too tight or stiff or otherwise uncomfortable, it will be hard for the patient to wear it enough to make a difference.
At Wear Ease, our mantra is Comfort, Compression, Containment, & Compliance. If a compression garment is too loose, there’s no benefit. If it’s too tight, it will restrict blood flow and also be uncomfortable, so people won't wear it. But if a patient is comfortable and is able to get the right amount of compression, with the affected areas contained properly, it’s much easier to ensure compliance - and for the patient to get the relief and improved quality of life they need.
Evaluate your Patient’s Compression Garment Needs
The first step to getting the perfect fit is to evaluate a patient’s needs for compression garments. We recommend going into detail here, as it will affect the rest of the fitting process. You’ll want to know things like:
● Why do they need compression garments in the first place?
● What is their history, be it surgical (often a mastectomy) or some other situation such as primary lymphedema?
● Where is their swelling?
● If there has been surgical removal of breast tissue, was it bilateral?
● Do they wear prosthetics?
● What is their body shape and size?
● Are there post-surgical scars that are sensitive and need to be accommodated?
● Do they have fibrosis, and if so where is it?
The answers to these questions will direct you towards different types of garments and the associated pressure that’s needed. For example, if a patient has had a bilateral mastectomy, their shape will be very individual and some garments will work better than others. Also, patients of different sizes will have different needs for containment, and some garments will work better than others for their body shape and size. That said - all garments, regardless of size, provide containment and help improve circulation when a patient moves.
Measuring for the Right Fit
Once you’ve identified the patient’s compression needs and the associated garment(s) that will give them the results they’re after, the next step is to ensure accurate measurements for garment sizing and final selection. You can follow our detailed Fitting Guidelines page and remember these key points:
● Take measurements in inches for Wear Ease products.
● Compare your measurements to the closest fit per the garment’s size chart. If your measurements fall between sizes, always choose the smaller size. (An exception here is for our Karena bra, which runs small. For that product, select the larger size.)
● For bust measurements, measure at the fullest point of the bust. For waist, measure at the navel between the lowest rib and hips. For hips, measure at the fullest point of the buttocks.
● If a patient is wearing a prosthesis and plan to wear it in their garment, make sure to measure with the prosthesis in their bra.
It’s also worth watching out for some key issues as you evaluate fit.
● Make sure your selected garment is sized to cover the entire affected area.
● Watch for any numbness or tingling that could signify the garment is too tight.
● Check for any gaps or looseness that would signify too loose of a fit.
● If this is a repeat garment purchase and the patient (or a body part) has changed size, it’s important to get re-fitted for a new garment size.
With the appropriate measurements and attention to fitting details, your garment will fit properly and give patients the instant relief they need.
Tips for Putting On, Taking Off, and Adjusting Compression Garments
Our compression shapewear tops cannot be put on or taken off over the head like regular clothes. As such, patients need to understand that they will need to step into and out of them. We recommend providing them with the following approach:
To put on:
- Stretch neckline and gather sides of garment
- Step into garment through neckline
- Slide garment up over hips
- Slip arms into straps
To take off:
- Slip arms out of straps
- Slide garment down over hips
- Slide garment down to your feet and step out.
When to Replace or Refit Compression Garments
As a general rule, compression garments should be replaced every 3-6 months to ensure consistent compression levels. The exact timing will depend on the wear and tear the patient puts on the garment. When garments get too worn out, they stop providing the necessary compression, so this is something that should be watched carefully as part of a patient's ongoing therapy process.
Sometimes, you may need to refit a patient for new garments. This is common when a patient experiences body changes such as weight fluctuations, or if their condition is not improving and they have changes in their treatment protocol.
In either case, it’s important for therapists to regularly monitor their patients. Not only does this help patients ensure that their compression garments are fitting appropriately and doing their job, it also helps ensure that the condition is being managed properly.
The Perfect Fit: Part of An Ongoing Lymphedema Treatment Plan
Finding the perfect fit for compression garments is essential to the success of lymphedema treatment, and at Wear Ease we are dedicated to helping therapists and patients make this journey as comfortable and effective as possible. Properly fitted garments offer lasting relief, allowing patients to manage their symptoms with ease and making it simpler to wear them for the recommended extended periods. When integrated into a well-managed lymphedema treatment plan, these garments can offer patients improved comfort and a better quality of life, supporting their healing every step of the way.
Sources:
https://www.wearease.com/pages/fitting-guidelines-for-wear-ease-shapewear