Slowly Building Strength Relieve Some of Arm and Hand Swelling

Breast cancer survivors have been told for years that lifting anything heavy could worsen painful arm swelling. New research suggests just the opposite is true.

Photo: Slowly Building Strength Relieve Some of Arm and Hand Swelling

The study found that slowly building strength with upper-body weightlifting actually helps relieve some of the arm and hand swelling that affects up to a quarter of breast cancer survivors , CTV.ca reports.

Although several small studies have found evidence that weightlifting didn't put women at risk for lymphedema, Wednesday's study was one of the largest of its kind and the first to show weightlifting may actually help symptoms , ABC News reports.

"It's just a wonderful program," said Jackie Amarnek, 77, of King of Prussia, who still works out regularly. "My arm looks perfectly normal now; you'd never know there's anything wrong." , Philadelphia Inquirer reports.