Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a type of manual manipulation of the skin, not to be confused with massage, based on the hypothesis that it will encourage the natural drainage of the lymph, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart.
Manual lymph drainage uses a specific amount of pressure (less than 9 oz per square inch or about 4 kPa), and rhythmic circular movements to stimulate lymph flow.
[3] A 2013 systematic review of manual lymphatic drainage with regard to breast cancer–related lymphedema found no clear support for the effectiveness of the intervention in either preventing limb edema in at-risk women or treating women for the condition.
In 1932, at a time when the lymphatic system was poorly understood, they began to develop light rhythmic hand movements hoping to promote lymph movement.
In 1936, they introduced this technique in Paris; following World War II, they returned to Copenhagen to teach other practitioners to use this therapy.