Luis: Lymphedema Therapist in Mexico
Luis López Montoya has a degree in Physiotherapy by Universidad del Valle de Mexico (UVM Campus Zapopan), obtained his Diploma in Lymphatic Therapy by the H. Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG) and its University Center of Health Sciences (CUCS) and additionally by the Jalisco Institute of Cancerology (IJC) and the Mexican Association of Lymphology and Lymphoedema AC (AMLYLAC), he is certified therapist in Godoy Method Lymphatic Therapy by the Godoy & Godoy International School of Lymphatic Therapy in Sao Paulo, Brazil and attended twice to clinical internships in Brazil and completed a post graduate diplomate in Manual Therapy by the Mexican College of Physiotherapy.
Since 2013, he has worked as a physiotherapist at the Fi Fisioterapia Integral S.C in the field of rehabilitation of patients with lymphovenous pathologies in Guadalajara, Jalisco. From 2014 to 2017 he served as General Director of the Mexican Association of Lymphology and Lymphedema A.C. In 2015, he published the first edition of the book “The Linfedema Explained” and directed the digital project “Integral Physiotherapy Magazine, For Physiotherapeutic Diffusion” from 2013 to 2016.
He has participated as a lecturer in several conferences and national and international academic events on topics related to lymphedema and peripheral vascular physiotherapy for health care professionals from different educational institutes, private and public health institutions and associations. He has collaborated as a guest on various radio and television programs. He has also participated as a professor in postgraduate university educational programs in the field of oncological physiotherapy, dermatofunctional and peripheral vascular rehabilitation.
Instagram: @thelymphologist
Facebook: Lft. Luis Lopez Montoya
Blog: www.figdl.com/thelymphologist
Book (Spanish): www.linfedemaexplicado.com.mx
Story:
6 years ago when I was about to finish my universitary studies in Physical Therapy, I’ve got a scholarship to study a Post Graduate Lymphatic Therapy Diplomate in the Universidad de Guadalajara. México. To be honest I didn’t know what to expect since I was young and I didn’t know a single thing about lymphedema and its implications in the world. Basically, I did the diplomate as a curious physical therapist trying to explore new areas.
The diplomate was all about classic decongestive physical therapy or CDT, and included a comprehesive knowledge that a healthcare professional need to know about lymphedema in order to offer a conservative treatment option.
After that, of course, I gave treatment to my first patients with lymphedema, specially breast cancer related lymphedema. With results good enough to make them feel better, motivated, with hope, and with good results on their extremity size.
The time goes by, and with that, I’ve became a kind of lymphology junkie, I read and download all the peer reviewed articles, books and publications related to lymphedema and its treatment. I think this is because I still a curious person interested in investigation, plus considering that in Mexico not many healthcare professionals care about lymphedema. It is a massive blackhole in the public and private attention. So I decided to be prepared to face new cases and count with the better tools to offer treatment.
Anyway, I began to grow as a profesional specialising and focusing its skills in the conservative treatment of lymphedema.
In late 2015 when I was reading articles I realised that a lastname was very frequent in the references of other investigators and scientists: Godoy, Godoy&Godoy… So this called my attention and I began to read all his work on the field of lymphedema treatment. Dr. Godoy is a Vascular Surgeon and his wife is an ocupational therapist and they both developed in Brazil the Godoy Method.
As soon as I knew they were coming to Mexico I met them (in April 2016) and I took the first Godoy Method Certifications; Later in November of 2016, I went by first time to Brazil in order to learn how to reproduce the results of the Method in México and to get all the components of their interventions in order to use them in our patients. In 2017 I went to Brazil again to Godoy Clinic to keep perfectioning my training and clinical experience.
After 6 years dedicating my life to lymphedema treatment we are now treating patients from worldwide with fantastic results; I actually try to adapt the best from classical CDT-MLD and the best from Godoy Method to our patients’ needs, an individualised intervention is better than a fixed method to treat so many different patients.
-Luis Lopez Montoya
LLM