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How a Lucky Coincidence
Helped a Lot of Women

by Elizabeth Pennebaker, M.A., M.St., D.Phil

Lesli Bell, PT-LANA, a physical therapist with a thriving practice in South Burlington, Vermont, was getting increasingly frustrated by the lack of compression options available to women with truncal lymphedema (lymphedema of the breast, chest, and/or back). Some of her patients had been able to use sports bras, but these tended to dig into tender tissues, and were too small for large-breasted women.  The best Lesli could do for some patients was to wrap their chests tightly in bandages – a solution that only lasted until their next shower.

But then – purely by chance – Bell found out that Lisa Lindahl, the inventor of the Jogbra®, lived only 20 minutes away from her. Bell persuaded Lindahl to collaborate with her on a compression bra for lymphedema patients. The two women became fast friends – and partners in a quest to help women with truncal lymphedema.

As they designed the bra, Lisa and Lesli learned a great deal about the unique problems faced by patients with truncal lymphedema, and how simple design modifications could make a big difference in  their comfort. For example, Lesli had discovered in her practice that lymphedema often exists in the abdomen and mid-back, so they extended the bra almost to the waist. They also found that the narrow straps in most bras are not only painful against swollen shoulders, but can actually block the drainage of lymphatic fluid from the torso – so they designed the bra with wider, padded straps to better distribute breast weight and take pressure off the shoulders. After learning from Lesli that lymphatic swelling can vary from day to day, Lisa suggested adding three rows of hooks and eyes in the back so that patients could adjust it as needed. Lesli’s patients reminded her that it is difficult and painful to wear a bra after surgery, so Lisa and Lesli added a front zipper to make the bra easier to put on, and lined it with soft fabric that wouldn’t chafe. Finally, in response to the patients who asked for a bra that was pretty and feminine as well as functional, Lisa and Lesli designed the bra to look as much like a regular bra as possible.