PNA Regional Principles · Overview
Ribs & Chest Wall — Manual Lymphatic Drainage
What changes when Manual Lymphatic Drainage meets the ribs & chest wall? Start with the patient's movement, assess safely, and see what the re-test reveals.
Important: this is a clinical framework, not a complete technique protocol.
This page was generated from broader regional principles. It can help you frame assessment, patient comfort, safety and reassessment, but its generic positioning, contact and dosage text must not be treated as technique-specific hands-on instruction. Study a detailed, individually authored procedure and use supervised practical training.
Read the parent technique and its specific clinical methodsSafety / do not apply when…
Do not manually treat unexplained chest pain, dyspnea, suspected rib fracture, acute cardiopulmonary symptoms or systemic illness.
Do not treat unexplained acute swelling; exclude cellulitis, untreated DVT and acute decompensated heart failure.
Stop or modify if symptoms peripheralize, neurological status worsens, the response is disproportionate or the patient asks to stop.
Clinical rule
A technically correct technique is not automatically a useful technique. Keep it only when the patient's pain, range or function improves in a clinically meaningful way, then transfer that gain into active movement, loading or self-management.