3
Instructions for doing self-massage
• Use a light pressure and keep your hands soft and relaxed. Use just enough
pressure to gently stretch the skin as far as it naturally goes and then
release the pressure. Let your skin come back as it was. If you can feel your
muscles underneath your ngers, then you are pressing too hard.
• Use the ats of your hands instead of your ngertips. This allows more
contact with the skin to stimulate the lymph vessels.
• Massage towards areas of your body that have not been treated for cancer.
• Make sure you are comfortable while doing the massage. You can try a
seated, standing or lying down position.
• Try to do self-massage every day.
• If you need to do the massage on both sides of your body, start on one
side of your body and go through each step. Once you have completed
the steps on one side, repeat them on the other side of your body.
What to avoid
• Do not strain your shoulders, neck, arm or hand.
• Do not self-massage in a way that causes pain.
• Do not continue self-massage if it is causing you pain.
• Do not self-massage if you have an infection in that area.
Important: Do NOT do self-massage if you have an infection in your
abdomen, leg(s) or feet. Signs of infection may include:
• swelling in these areas and redness of the skin (this redness can quickly spread)
• feeling pain in your leg(s) or feet
• feeling tenderness and/or warmth in one or both legs or feet
• having a fever or chills and feeling unwell
If you have an infection or think you have an infection, go to your:
• family doctor urgent care clinic
• walk-in clinic hospital emergency department