What is the impact of lipoedema on occupational performance?

Lipoedema is a fat distribution disorder which causes disproportionate enlargement of the legs in women, and is unaffected by diet or exercise (Allen and Hines 1940). I am a woman with lipoedema, and I am also soon to be a... [ view full abstract ]

Lipoedema is a fat distribution disorder which causes disproportionate enlargement of the legs in women, and is unaffected by diet or exercise (Allen and Hines 1940). I am a woman with lipoedema, and I am also soon to be a qualified occupational therapist. I have conducted interviews with four other women with the condition, in an attempt to discover what impact lipoedema has had on their occupational identities within the context of a society that has rigid ideals of feminine beauty. Over the next three months I will be analysing the data using an interpretative phenomenological approach, working closely with the words of each individual to identify key themes and subthemes. This should allow me to present a detailed picture of the lived experience of lipoedema.
In presenting this study, I will begin by explaining the symptoms of lipoedema, supported by images. I will present the method over 3-4 slides, before focussing on the words of each participant to highlight themes identified from the interviews. Having already conducted the interviews, I am able to state with some confidence that shame and social withdrawal are predominant. Furthermore, a theme has begun to emerge of these women feeling that they lack a voice, so it will be important to present the research in their own words. The genesis of this research was the idea that occupational therapy could play a key role in the management of lipoedema, and I hope that this presentation will support that idea.