Swollen legs, stolen lives: how oedema steals mobility and independence
Swollen legs are often dismissed as a minor or inevitable problem. In reality, unmanaged oedema can be the first step toward loss of mobility, independence, and quality of life.
This webinar raises awareness of how lower limb swelling triggers a downward spiral of heaviness, pain, reduced movement, muscle weakness, and fear of activity- often leading to deconditioning and patients becoming 'off-legs.' Everyday coping strategies, such as reduced walking or sleeping in a chair, can unintentionally worsen the problem.
Aimed at all healthcare professionals, this session shifts the focus from treating symptoms to recognising early warning signs and acting sooner. It highlights how simple, timely interventions can protect mobility, prevent avoidable decline, and help people remain independent for longer.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Understand how oedema drives loss of mobility and independence
- Recognise behaviors and environments that worsen lower limb swelling
- Identify early intervention points to prevent patients becoming “off-legs”
- Apply practical strategies to help break the cycle
- Tools that can help: Ascenda Demonstration
Meet our Experts

Sarah has always had a keen interest in Tissue Viability since becoming a registered nurse in 2002. Her experience varies from within a community setting, where she completed her Tissue Viability based degree in 2007. She then worked within the private sector to gain additional advanced wound care skills whilst working with a medical devices company specialised in wound healing. In 2010, Sarah became a Tissue Viability Nurse and shaped a specialised service within the acute sector for 7 years before returning to the community setting as a TVN.
People who watched this also watched...
Sleep in a Riser Recliner
In this session we will explore the issues around people sleeping in riser recliner chairs – we will look at this issue from a functional occupational performance and a tissue viability perspective.
This session is aimed to enable health care professionals to think around this presenting issue to enable them to have a constructive discussion with people they are working with to come to an agreeable solution.
New year, balanced you: Mindfulness for the health and care professionals
Join Kate Jackson in this interactive webinar exploring mindfulness for health and social care professionals. Kate will guide you through a range of concepts, techniques and considerations, offering practical ways to bring Mindfulness into your daily life to enhance wellbeing. Kate takes a thoughtful, compassionate and inclusive approach to wellbeing, offering a grounded and accessible delivery style.
Continuous pressure monitoring - identification of posture issues and how it helps pressure ulcer prevention
This webinar explores the use of continuous pressure monitoring to identify high risk areas using patient case studies.