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What is the Vodder Technique for Lymphatic Drainage?
Lymphatic massage is surprisingly gentle
When I first got interested in lymphatic drainage, I was surprised at how well it worked. Like, instantly! After one session, my friend’s edema in her swollen legs was visibly reduced and the pressure and pain were alleviated. She felt so much relief that tears came to her eyes.
When most people receive their first manual lymph drainage massage, they’re usually surprised that the hand technique is so very gentle. Lymphatic massage requires a controlled, yet light touch. Why so gentle?
Lymph vessels are delicate and tiny. The largest are less than one millimeter in diameter, and the precapillary channels are even smaller. The hand movements therefore must be rhythmic and gentle, but provide enough tension to slightly stretch the skin, which encourages the small segments of the lymph vessels to pump lymph fluid. This special type of lymphatic massage is called the Vodder Technique.
The originators of the Vodder Technique
The Vodder Technique was developed by Dr. Emil and Estrid Vodder, a Danish couple who were working as massage therapists in Cannes, France in the 1930s. Their patients were predominantly English people taking a break from their damp homeland…
