Weight lifting does not raise the risk of lymphedema among breast cancer survivors.

More than 150 breast cancer survivors at risk for lymphedema were randomized to a one-year weight-lifting group or to no intervention. At the end of the study those in the weight-lifting group actually had less lymphedema than those with no intervention (5% vs. 11%). Among women who had five or more nodes removed the difference was even greater (7% vs. 22%). This is good news for breast cancer survivors who want to engage in upper body exercise.

PositiveTip: Slowly progressive weight-lifting exercises can confer the health benefits of upper-body exercise to all women, including breast cancer survivors. 

Great news! Women with breast-cancer related lymphedema can safely do weight lifting.

One of the most feared complications of breast cancer surgery is lymphedema, a potentially disfiguring, disabling, and incurable problem. Consequently, weight lifting has generally been proscribed for those women with this condition--preventing them from getting the well-established health benefits of strength-training, including increased bone density. Now, in a year-long, randomized, controlled trial of twice weekly progressive weight lifting in 141 women with lymphedema there was no significant effect on limb swelling. In fact, those weight lifting had reduced symptoms, increased strength, and fewer exacerbations than the controls.