Janet Wolfson

Content from this Writer

January 7th, 2023

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

A 55-year-old African American male was admitted to our inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) with a right trochanter stage 4 pressure injury, sacral stage 3, and left below the knee amputation (L BKA) with comorbid diabetes mellitus (...

Frequently Asked Questions
September 26th, 2019

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Reflecting back on "In the Trenches With Lymphedema," WoundSource's June Practice Accelerator webinar, many people sent in questions. I have addressed some regarding compression use here.

The Lymphedema Treatment Act
March 25th, 2019

by Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

As the 116th Congress ruffles its feathers and dusts out the corners, it's another chance for the Lymphedema Treatment Act (LTA) to become law. The Senate bill was given bill number S 518, whereas the House bill is pending. In the...

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Incontinence
December 6th, 2018

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

My current job as wound coordinator has pulled me into the world of incontinence and the many disciplines that care for people challenged by this disorder. I was previously acquainted with the therapy side as I worked with therapists...

Patient-Centered Communication
September 6th, 2018

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Last spring, I encountered that specific type of patient we sometimes meet, the one who has been through the chronic wound care revolving door so many times that he or she sets out on his or her own path and refuses any byways diverting...

wound care coverage and health insurance
August 22nd, 2018

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

June 28th, 2018

by Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Lymphedema patients doing yoga
May 10th, 2018

by Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Lymphatic System
April 5th, 2018

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Introduction, History, and Practitioner Background

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) was developed by Emil and Estrid Vodder in the 1930s. They dedicated their lives to the study of lymphatic anatomy and physiology. Since then,...

lymphedema management and prevention
January 18th, 2018

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

With increased awareness of the impact of the lymphatic system on all other systems of the body, there are now multitudes of research studies on lymphedema and thus new approaches and treatments by the medical profession. These include...

post-surgical cancer patient
November 14th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

So, if you are following my series on the lymphatic system, then recall that last month the topic was causes of lymphedema. Today I will dive into how modern medical care and disease processes can affect the lymphatic system

lymphedema and the lymphatic system
October 17th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

If you had a chance to read last month's blog on thelymphedema and the lymphatic system, you're probably still amazed that such a wonderful system that provides immunity and handles fluid in our bodies exists in such secrecy. This blog...

the lymphatic system
August 30th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

When I talk to my patients with lymphedema, I often need to tell them about their lymphatic system. Beyond knowing of lymph nodes or glands in their neck, most don't recall having heard anything about it. Surprisingly, today's medical...

compression therapy for lymphedema
July 27th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

The intersection of wounds and lymphedema has been on my mind this week as challenging patients and a new reduction garment cross my dual specialty life. One patient with chronic swelling with weeping for more than a decade, another...

kidney failure-related edema
June 16th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Acute care wound or edema professionals are bombarded with multiple kinds of edema that can be treated in many ways—and with many choices of compression garments. What to choose?

patient interview questions
April 26th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

I was recently listening to one of my favorite news sources, NPR, enjoying an interview with James E. Ryan, the author of "Wait, What? - and Life's Other Essential Questions". The premise was that asking the right questions can lead to a...

delayed wound healing
April 4th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Delayed wound healing: how did it start, what are we doing to prevent delay, and what could we be doing differently when delay is noted?

preventing-pressure-injuries
March 1st, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

As I read through wound care articles on pressure injuries and treatments, I keep going back to one thought: why are they still occurring? They are preventable! Staff are educated, have certifications and equipment, and have been oriented...

Neck Surgery
February 3rd, 2017

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

The Inpatient Rehab Facility where I currently work as the Wound Coordinator is a discharge site for a major medical center with an excellent Head and Neck Cancer program, as well as a Trauma Center. This has resulted in a handful (or...

evaluating medical information resources
January 6th, 2017

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

It is hard to read a newspaper (my preferred news source) or an online news site without discovering false information. I recently read an NPR article about how to vet news yourself and how to recognize this.1 The...

wound infection treatment using alternative modalities
November 9th, 2016

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

As I was commuting in to work a few Saturdays ago, I listened to The People’s Pharmacy on NPR. The topic was non-pharmacological treatment of infection, so being a wound care professional, I immediately started thinking of the ways I...

new research in the field of lymphedema management
October 4th, 2016

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

At the beginning of September, I attended the National Lymphedema Network International Conference in Dallas, TX. As with most conferences it was chock-full of new research, meet-ups with former colleagues, vendors with wonderful new and...

total knee replacement surgical wound healing
September 14th, 2016

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

If you read my last blog on therapeutic interventions to stimulate wound healing, then you may recall the asset that a lymphedema trained therapist can be to your wound care department. A recent patient at the inpatient rehab facility...

electrical stimulation therapy in wound healing
August 17th, 2016

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

I know we have all had those patients with diagnoses that impair their wounds forming granulation tissue to fill wound depth. Perhaps there are comorbidities such as diabetes, peripheral artery disease or malnutrition. Skin flaps,...

patient treatment
June 2nd, 2016

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Long ago, in a Physical Therapy Department far away, I met my first lymphedema patient, but did not know that was the cause of her recurring wounds. Into the next decade, I treated more patients with chronic swelling in their legs and we...

the role of physical therapy in wound care
April 28th, 2016

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

A story was related to me from someone living in a rural part of the US. A family member was in need of ongoing wound care. They were referred to a specialist who was of all things… a physical therapist! This is a response with which I am...