In a “bellicon Talk” interview, Dr. Kelly Sturm – a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Lymphedema Therapist and Board-Certified Oncology Clinical Specialist with over a decade of experience in lymphedema and oncology physical therapy – discusses how gentle rebounding can support people during and after cancer treatment.
“Your lymphatic system does not have a natural pump the way your heart does,” Sturm explains. “Your lymphatic vessels rely completely on your muscles contracting in order to move lymphatic fluid through your body. Rebounding is a great way – it's full body. For lymphedema or lymphatic wellness, jumping or bouncing on a rebounder, you are going to get your lymphatics moving naturally the way that they're supposed to.” She notes that fatigue is the most common side effect of cancer treatment, and that exercise is the single most proven way to counter it – before, during and after treatment.
On safety, Sturm says rebounding is generally safe for people with lymphedema or a cancer history, as long as bone health and balance are considered individually together with a care team. For beginners, she recommends starting with just two to three minutes and gradually building up, ideally toward 20–30 minutes of movement a day, which can be split into shorter sessions. She also highlights that rebounding can be gentler on the joints than running: “I call myself a retired runner … but I can rebound for 20 minutes and have no issues whatsoever.”