Lipoedema: When heaviness becomes a burden - holistic help for lipoedema
August 13, 2025
10 min
Lipoedema syndrome is a chronic disease of the subcutaneous fatty tissue that often goes unrecognised for years. It almost exclusively affects women and is often mistakenly equated with being overweight or obese. However, lipoedema is an independent, medically relevant diagnosis - with specific symptoms and treatment approaches. Many sufferers experience pain, a feeling of tightness and a noticeable reduction in their quality of life. It is particularly distressing that the symptoms are often trivialised or misinterpreted - both in the social environment and in the medical context. Despite the term lipoedema - which suggests swelling (oedema) of the tissue - oedema is not necessarily present. Although this can occur concomitantly, it is not one of the typical characteristics of lipoedema syndrome.
Holistic care at Zollikerberg Hospital
At Zollikerberg Hospital, we take an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to the care of patients with lipoedema syndrome. This includes
- Specialised decongestive therapy in the therapy centre with individual physiotherapeutic support
- In-depth medical and therapeutic counselling to differentiate between other diagnoses and for treatment planning and support
- Surgical options thanks to our plastic surgery expertise if conservative therapies are not sufficient
In this article, we answer key questions about the diagnosis and treatment of lipoedema syndrome and show how we support, relieve and accompany those affected on their journey.
What is lipoedema syndrome - and how can the condition be recognised early?
Lipoedema syndrome is a chronic disease of the subcutaneous fatty tissue that almost exclusively affects women. It is characterised by a disproportionate increase in fatty tissue - usually on the legs, sometimes also on the arms. The feet and torso are usually left out, which leads to a clearly visible disproportion between the upper and lower body.
In the past, lipoedema was misunderstood as a purely cosmetic problem or confused with obesity. Today it is clear that it is an independent, medically relevant clinical picture - with specific symptoms that can severely affect everyday life.
Typical symptoms:
- Spontaneous pain in the affected regions
- Strong sensitivity to touch and pressure
- Feeling of heaviness and tension, especially after sitting or standing for a long time
- Slight haematomas (bruising) from minor injuries - caused by sensitive blood vessels
- Foot instability (e.g. frequent twisting injuries) in approx. 60 per cent of those affected - due to weak connective tissue
What causes the symptoms?
With increasing body weight - for example due to increased calorie intake and lack of exercise - the fat cells continue to grow. As blood vessels develop more slowly than fatty tissue, the tissue is increasingly insufficiently supplied with oxygen. This undersupply leads to inflammatory cells migrating into the tissue and can cause chronic pain.
Mental stress and psychological strain can also exacerbate the symptoms. This is why psychological support is also an important aspect of care.
Why is it called "lipoedema syndrome"?
Although the term "lipoedema" suggests fluid retention (oedema), oedema is not typical of this condition. To counteract this misleading idea, the term lipoedema syndrome is deliberately used in Switzerland - to distinguish it from other forms of oedema such as lymphoedema.
Progression and possible complications
The course of the disease is individual. For a long time, it was assumed that lipoedema syndrome progressed inevitably. Today we know that it does not progress in the same way in all patients.
It is important to note that there is a close connection between lipoedema syndrome, weight gain and lack of exercise - all three factors can have a negative impact on each other. A stable weight and regular, moderate exercise help to alleviate the symptoms.
If you are severely overweight, you may also develop lymphoedema - a swelling caused by a disruption in lymphatic drainage. The tissue hardens, increasing the risk of inflammation and infection.
In such cases, three diseases overlap, each of which must be treated in a targeted and interdisciplinary manner:
- Lipoedema syndrome
- Obesity
- lymphoedema
What therapies does the Therapy Centre offer for lipoedema syndrome and chronic swelling?
At the Therapy Centre at Zollikerberg Hospital, we offer a comprehensive, individually tailored range of therapies for people with lipoedema syndrome and chronic swelling. The aim is to alleviate symptoms, improve quality of life and enable those affected to actively manage their condition.
Our treatment approaches are based on two central pillars: lymphological physiotherapy and exercise therapy.
Lymphological physiotherapy
This form of therapy is specifically designed to relieve the tissue and promote lymphatic drainage and is also used for painful stages of lipoedema syndrome. The measures are individually tailored to the patient's symptoms:
- Manual lymphatic drainage with soft fibrosis grips: especially at the start of treatment to relieve pain and improve tolerance to compression therapy
- Compression therapy: gradual bandaging to familiarise the patient with the pressure
- Fitting of customised compression stockings in collaboration with experienced orthopaedic technicians
Movement therapy
Regular, targeted exercise is a central component of conservative therapy for lipoedema syndrome. Our programmes help patients to stay active and reduce symptoms in the long term:
- Individual therapy - individually supervised by specialised therapists
- Medical training therapy with various therapy subscriptions
- Water therapy - joint-friendly training in warm water
- Courses such as Evergreen, Pilates or yoga - specially adapted to the needs of people with chronic complaints
The therapeutic programme is complemented by individual fitness and exercise consultations to help patients stay active and keep moving in everyday life.
How can targeted exercise therapy alleviate pain and discomfort in lipoedema syndrome?
Regular exercise is a central component of therapy for lipoedema syndrome. Muscle activity stimulates lymph flow, improves blood circulation and reduces inflammatory processes in the tissue - this can significantly alleviate pain and feelings of tension.
Targeted training also helps to stabilise the tissue, increase resilience in everyday life and counteract the progression of the disease.
It is important to undergo personalised, gentle exercise therapy, ideally under expert guidance.
When is liposuction medically advisable?
In the case of lipoedema, liposuction is medically advisable if the abnormally increased fat deposits lead to pain, swelling or restricted movement and conservative forms of treatment as mentioned above do not provide sufficient relief. Liposuction makes it possible to permanently remove these fat deposits, which can reduce symptoms and noticeably improve quality of life. Important to know: Liposuction is not a method for general weight reduction and is not used to treat obesity.
Zollikerberg Hospital offers liposuction as part of its plastic surgery programme. This is an established procedure for body contouring and the treatment of fat deposits.
How does liposuction work?
At Zollikerberg Hospital, liposuction is performed as part of the body contouring offer within plastic surgery. The procedure usually involves the following steps:
- Consultation and planning: In a personal consultation, the individual concerns, the body regions to be treated and possible risks and expectations are discussed.
- Anaesthesia: The procedure is usually performed under local or general anaesthesia.
- Liposuction: The fat is suctioned out through fine cannulas. Gentle techniques are used to protect the surrounding tissue.
- Aftercare: Compression garments are applied immediately after the operation and should be worn for several weeks to minimise swelling and support healing.
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