Find a Lymphedema Therapist

PrintFind Quebec therapists who are certified to practice Combined Decongestive Therapy and who have met the LAQ’s minimum requirements for training.

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Download the complete 2021 LAQ Resource Guide.

DISCLAIMER: Suppliers of products and services as well as therapists pay a fee to be listed, therefore at no time is the LAQ responsible for quality of service or rates charged.

LYMPHEDEMA TRAINING STANDARDS

All therapists listed in the LAQ therapist list have been trained by a school approved by the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) and have received a minimum of 135 hours of postgraduate training specific to the treatment of lymphedema including the following Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy (DLT) or Complex Lymphatic Therapy (CLT) components: Manual Lymph Drainage, compression bandaging/garments, exercise, diet/nutrition and skin care.

The therapists are either registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, kinesiologists, kinesiotherapists or rehabilitation physical therapist.

The Canadian Lymphedema Framework (CLF) will require massage therapists and other therapists in Canada, certified as lymphedema therapists after January 1, 2017, who did not complete 2 200 hours of training, to have additional training of 180 hours in anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology. This requirement is necessary in order for a therapist’s name to appear on the LAQ list of lymphedema therapists in Quebec. The purpose of this list is to allow people suffering from lymphedema to find a qualified therapist in their region. It is also important for therapists treating lymphedema patients to understand comorbidities and other pathologies associated with this disease in order to provide adequate care for these people.

For the sake of fairness and transparency, the CLF has a single policy for all therapists, regardless of their place of practice. Since massage therapy is not yet regulated in Quebec, there may be an important lack of theoretical training compared to programs in other provinces thus the requirement to reach the level of the rest of Canada. This requirement is in line with the prerequisites required for massage therapists by the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA). There are several options to complete your missing credits; schools of massage therapy offering continuing levels of education, CEGEPS, or university as a free student.

If you are a qualified therapist and wish to be added to our therapist listing, please contact us.