Rebecca Ruoff is a physiotherapist, osteopath and trainee cranio-sacral therapist who has worked with the bellicon for around 15 years – with patients ranging from knee problems to elite athletes. Together with Ortho-Team Lucerne, she ran a pilot study looking at how mini-trampoline training affects lymph flow and mobility in people with lipedema and lymphedema.
Participants trained regularly on the bellicon mini-trampoline, with circumference measurements and other assessments taken before, during and after the study period. Significant improvements showed up especially at the ankle measurement point. The strongest change was seen in one participant, who by the end of the study period had an 11 cm smaller ankle circumference and no more knee pain. The most common feedback was less pressure pain and an improved sense of mobility and freedom.
Ruoff and Ortho-Team Lucerne see the pilot study as a promising first step: the results provide early evidence of reduced leg circumference through bellicon training, though they weren't statistically significant across the whole study group. Further research with more participants and a more targeted training protocol is needed to confirm the findings.