Postural drainage and manual lymphatic drainage for lower limb edema in women with morbid obesity after bariatric surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of postural drainage (PD) and manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) techniques on edema in the lower limbs of women with morbid obesity submitted to bariatric surgery.

Design: A total of 47 women between 20 and 40 yrs old with a body mass index of 40 kg/m or higher were randomly placed in three groups: control group (n = 15), PD group (PDG, n = 16), and MLD group (n = 16). Lower limb perimetry was carried out in the first and third days of the postoperative period.