What to do
- Massage very slowly and gently. It should take about 20 minutes to complete.
- Massage when you are comfortable; sitting or lying down is best.
- Do not press too hard.
- If you have cellulitis, do not do SLD until you are better.
- Wear your compression garments if you have been supplied these items.
Step 1—Breathing
- Sit / lie down with your shoulders relaxed and hands resting below your ribs
- Breathe in and feel you abdomen rising (imagine a balloon inflating under your hands)
- Slowly breathe out and press gently in- wards with your hands
- Repeat five times
Step 2 —Neck
- Place your right hand on the left side of your neck, below your ear
- Gently stroke the skin down towards your collarbone and release
- Repeat this movement 10 times
- Then repeat the above but placing left hand on right side of your neck below ear
Step 3 —Clavicles / Collarbones
- Place your index finger above, and your middle finger below your collarbone, so that the collarbone lies between these two fingers
- Gently push downwards and release
- Repeat 10 times on both sides
Step 4 —Axilla / Armpit
- Place one hand in your armpit
- Cross the other arm across your body towards your opposite hipRepeat 10 times on both sides
Step 4 —Axilla / Armpit (Alternative clearance technique)
- Place your hand in the unaffected armpit
- Massage upwards into your armpit and release (10 times) (scoop motion)
- Ensure the direction is always upward
Step 5 —Chest (unaffected side)
- Place your hand on the unaffected side of your chest above breast
- Stroke across the skin towards your unaffected armpit
- Repeat 10 times, always stroking into the armpit
Step 6—Chest (central)
- Place your hand on the centre of your chest
- Stroke the skin towards the unaffected armpit
- Repeat 10 times, always stroking into the armpit
Step 7 —Chest (affected side)
- Place your hand on the affected side of your chest under the breast
- Stroke across the skin under both breasts, then stroke upwards towards your un- affected armpit
- Repeat 10 times, always stroking into the armpit
Step 8 —Armpit / Back (with help) Clear Axilla
- Sitting or lying
- Place your hand in the unaffected armpit
- Massage upwards into the armpit and release
- Repeat 10 times
- Ensure the direction is always upward
- OR: do self-clearance technique (Step 5)
Step 9 —If breast affected
- Scooping of whole affected breast, using both hands, then repeat step 7
- Then holding the breast, moving in a figure of 8, making sure you are moving all tissue un- der the breast, then draining it over the non- affected area
Step 10 —Back 1 (with help)
- Place hand/s on the unaffected side of the back
- Stroke the skin across into the unaffected armpit and release
- Repeat 10 times
Step 11—Back 2 (with help)
- Place hand/s on the middle of the back
- Stroke across the skin into the unaffected armpit and release
- Repeat 10 times
Step 12—Shoulder and arm (if directed by your practitioner)
- Stroke the skin upwards and towards the back on the shoulder
- Start near the shoulder
- Then upward stokes from elbow to shoulder
- Then upward stroke hand to elbow and then shoulder
Step 13 – Breathing to finish
- Sit or lie down with your shoulders relaxed and hands resting below your ribs
- Breathe in and feel your abdomen rising (imagine a balloon inflating under your hands)
- Slowly breathe out and press gently inwards with your hands
- Repeat five times
