Godwin treats a client with lymphedema.
Submitted Photo.
Alaria Godwin at Body Insight isn’t a run of the mill licensed massage therapist. With so many massage options in Wimberley, Godwin concentrates her practice, located near the Wimberley View office at 101 FM 3237, on Manual Lymphatic Drainage along with massage therapy tailored specifically for people affected by cancer.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a gentle, rhythmic, hands-on therapy designed to increase the movement of lymph and interstitial fluid. Vodder-technique Manual Lymphatic Drainage was developed as a wellness treatment for people with chronic colds. It is now widely recognized for its ability to reduce swelling and redirect fluid when the lymphatic system has been damaged. It is also one of the five pillars of Complete Decongestive Therapy, the internationally recognized gold standard of treatment for lymphedema.
Many plastic surgeons and some orthopedic surgeons suggest their patients receive lymphatic treatment following surgery to reduce swelling and support the body’s natural healing process. Swelling related to travel, injury, chronic venous insufficiency and of unknown origin are other reasons people seek out MLD.
“This is not what I expected to be doing 25 years ago,” she said, “but I’m so glad it is. The lead therapist at the integrative clinic where I worked after graduating from massage school said MLD was a pattern, employed always the same, every time. I thought at the time, ‘there’s no way I’m ever doing that,’ but the reality is that there’s a lot of variation in the way we apply the sequence. The steps we follow support the way lymph flows, but what happens between them is dependent on what’s happening in the body that day. It’s always a little different.”
Godwin is also a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. Usually, a CLT is a specialty for a Physical or Occupational Therapist. When the only CLT between Austin and San Antonio paused her practice for maternity leave, Godwin applied to a CLT certification program under her massage license and was accepted. In her 135-hour training, she learned more applications of MLD, along with compression, exercise, skin and nail infection prevention and client instruction in self-care.
After completing her CLT training, she put herself through the treatment protocol. By wrapping her dominant arm daily with short stretch bandages, she gained a better sense of what her clients with lymphedema or lipedema experience. Lymphologists say that lymphedema doesn’t take a vacation and it progresses, so early screening for those at risk and monitoring after treatment are important.
Lymphedema has many causes, some are genetic and others are acquired. Most people with lymphedema in the U.S. have it as a side effect of cancer treatment. Along her journey to becoming a CLT, Godwin pursued in-depth training in oncology massage and achieved Preferred Practitioner status with the Society for Oncology Massage.
“Oncology massage is massage therapy, adapted when necessary to support the unique needs of people in any stage of cancer,” she said. “Side effects of treatment can be short term and long term and may extend years after treatment is complete. Society For Oncology Massage Preferred Practitioners know what to ask patients to help with those side effects, without potentially harmful interactions.”
One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. As diagnosis and treatment improve, more people are living longer. Not everyone in that third of the population will permanently need oncology modifications during massage, but adapting massage is crucial during treatment and often for months afterwards. Long term precautions are advised if lymph nodes were removed, if radiation was part of treatment or if there is a higher risk of late-onset side effects for any other reason.A “person affected by cancer” is a broad definition. It includes anyone ever treated for cancer, in active treatment for cancer, receiving maintenance treatment for cancer and anyone who has decided to end cancer treatment. It also includes anyone who has ever had cancer surgery, anyone who has received radiation therapy, adults treated for cancer during childhood and anyone with a personal history of cancer treatment.
Godwin encourages all massage professionals to become familiar with oncology modifications because statistically every massage therapist will encounter people affected by cancer. Last year, she brought an oncology massage instructor to Wimberley in the hope that another local therapist would take the foundational course to qualify for what is called an S4OM affiliation. It was well attended enough that another oncology massage education retreat will be held in Wimberley in May. Meanwhile, Godwin remains the only S4OM preferred practitioner in a 25-mile radius.
As an LMT/CLT, Godwin has some practice limitations. She refers out when needed for parts of treatment that are outside of her scope of practice. She does not accept insurance, but she has contacts in the durable medical equipment industry so clients can have compression garments ordered with insurance billing.
Body Insights is located at 101 FM 3237, Building A, Suite B. To learn more, visit bodyinsightllc.com or call 512-718-9815.
