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Lipoedema is an inflammatory condition affecting loose connective tissue. ‘Loose connective tissue’ includes the tissues of skin, tendon, ligament, vasculature, gut lining, cellular membranes, immune system organs, teeth, bone, and adipose cells.

Severity of Lipoedema is measured in Stages 1 to 4 being mild to severe. Some professionals suggest a `0 “classification for sub-clinical symptoms. Later stage Lipeodema can result in Lymphatic System dysfunction and overwhelm. Diseased adipose cells cause disproportionate fat to accumulation which is resistant to traditional diet and exercise protocols. The common recommendation of (low-fat dieting can deplete the body of nutrients essential to lymphatic repair and calorie restrictive dieting inhibits robust metabolic function).

     Lipoedema is often concomitant with obesity, lymphoedema and (Ethler Danlos Syndrome) EDS / joint hypermobility, allergies and neural hyper-responsiveness, thyroid pathologies and intestinal hyperpermeability.

     Lipoedema is thought to be multi-genomic and heterogenic with the potential to progress to severe disability, it is currently incurable, painful, and often a diagnosis occurs only when the disease has progressed to later stages. At later stages lipoedema is beyond the scope of conservative management strategies and often has gathered comorbidities such as obesity, lymphoedema and arthritis.

In Australia Lipoedema is often unrecognized resulting in late-stage and delayed or misdiagnosis and limited or no treatment options. In regional and rural areas this hole in service provision is even wider. Symptoms associated with gut hyperpermeability can include but are not limited to chronic low/high grade inflammation, exhaustion, sleep disturbance headache/migraines, depression anxiety, and endocrine dysfunction.

       Ligamentous hyperlaxity and high Beighton scores are common though not always to the severity of clinical EDS. Chronic sporting injuries, foot collapse, pain wearing shoes and difficulty finding shoes wide enough as fore foot spreads with progression of disease and correlating weight increase.

      All weight bearing joints can deteriorate in stability and function with progression to disability. The foot, ankle, knee, and hip joints can present with rheumatoid /osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, anxiety (GAS) inflammation, flat feet, genu valgus, pelvic tilt/rotation imbalances locked short abdominals compressed thorax, and defensive patterning all commonly inhibit mobility. Changes in form due to the deformity of the Limbs and the instability of the joints. Architectural imbalance causes gait and posture changes that add to pain, immobility, and further pathologies which in turn perpetuates the cycle.

       Weight bias continues to disadvantage some in our society; with this prejudice   permeating schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings. This results in the common comorbidities of obesity, lipedema and lymphoedema often being attributed to lifestyle choices rather than attributed to the varied causes of primary and secondary lymphoedema and the diseases of obesity and lipoedema.