The influence of manual therapy on biometric parameters in patients with improper body weight.

Objective: In recent years, there have been only a few studies showing an improvement of the lymphatic system function in patients with abnormal body weight after the use of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD). The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of using MLD of the abdominal cavity as one of the forms of therapy for lymphatic system dysfunction in people with abnormal body weight.

Material and methods: The study presents the therapy of two women aged 30 to 59. They underwent 10 treatments of manual lymphatic drainage of the abdominal cavity (30 minutes x 3 times a week). Biochemical tests were performed before and after the MLD treatment. The degree of obesity was determined on the basis of the BMI (body mass index) and WHR (waist-to-hip ratio). The 7-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the patients’ quality of life.

Results: The overweight patient showed an improvement in biochemical parameters, including a decrease in the level of C-peptide and C-reactive protein, and a better quality of life compared to the state before the therapy. This subject scored 3 points before vs. 5 points after the MLD treatment. The patient with class 2 obesity and comorbidities showed no improvement in biochemical parameters, however, there was a change for better in the quality of life after the therapy. The patient scored 3 points before vs. 4 points after the MLD treatment.

Conclusions: Preliminary studies indicate potential benefits of using MLD for improving biochemical parameters, including a reduction of inflammation in an overweight patient.