{"id":803607,"date":"2026-10-15T17:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T17:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/803607\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T17:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T17:38:17","slug":"walking-funny-and-hitting-yourself-isnt-for-everyone-but-some-people-swear-by-this-new-tiktok-health-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/803607\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking funny and hitting yourself isn\u2019t for everyone. But some people swear by this new TikTok health trend"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It\u2019s a Wednesday afternoon and I\u2019m walking around New York City<\/a> like I belong to Monty Python\u2019s Ministry of Silly Walks. <\/a><\/p>\n

My arms are whirling<\/a> like wet noodles, my shoulders are pressed back and I\u2019m taking long, deliberate steps. Then there\u2019s the hitting and the breathing: I inhale deeply<\/a> for five seconds before exhaling and smacking myself in the arm<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This unconventional practice is so-called \u201clymphatic walking<\/a> \u201c- a TikTok trend that\u2019s supposed to improve circulation, fight puffiness, boost energy and elevate mood.<\/p>\n

The idea appears to have germinated on social media, and hundreds of people have filmed themselves getting involved. I became a lymphatic walker for about a month, doing so nearly daily and largely in public. I walked about 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.<\/p>\n

But does it work? Experts say there are benefits, though what I felt, mostly, was silly.<\/p>\n

\"ThisThis exercise routine, as seen in action from The Independent\u2019s science correspondent Julia Musto, is known as \u2018lymphatic walking\u2019 (Julia Musto\/Zack Palomo)<\/p>\n

Lymphatic drainage has become a hot wellness topic in recent years with the popularization of jade rollers and other beauty industry tools meant to reduce facial puffiness. <\/p>\n

The process massages the skin, seeking to relieve swelling that occurs when the lymphatic system \u2013 organs, vessels and tissues that protect the body from infection \u2013 is damaged, leading to a build up of clear fluid called lymph. These massages have real benefits, reducing excess fluids and supporting a healthy immune system. And this appears to be how lymphatic walking was born.<\/p>\n

Hannah Campbell, a lecturer in applied human physiology at the U.K.\u2019s University of Leeds, wrote a piece about the trend in The Conversation<\/a> this past August.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s some science behind the idea because muscles help move fluid in the lymphatic system, she told The Independent. The more active the muscles, the more fluid that moves through you.<\/p>\n

\"ActorActor John Cleese performs a silly walk in the legendary Monty Python sketch, Ministry of Silly Walks in 1970 (Public Domain)\"OneOne TikTok user taps his chest while lymphatic walking on a walking pad. Swinging the arms is supposed to help fluid move through tissue that filters out harmful cells and other substances (@bradcusworth\/TikTok)<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re swinging your arms, you\u2019re helping fluid move through the upper lymph nodes, areas of tissue that filter fluids in the body for harmful cells or substances, Campbell said.<\/p>\n

The heel-toe contact of steps helps push lymph through vessels from our feet. Hitting the body<\/a> is supposed to work similarly, and even breathing deeply shifts pressure in the abdomen that moves fluid around. <\/p>\n

However, there just isn\u2019t research supporting the trend as a whole. \u201cIn terms of generally healthy individuals, there is no evidence to support this special type of lymphatic movement or lymphatic walking,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

Campbell believes the trend potentially does more good for the nervous system, coordination and motor control than it does for the lymphatic system because of the focus it requires and actions that stimulate the nerves.<\/p>\n

\"HannahHannah Campbell, a lecturer in applied human physiology at the University of Leeds, says there\u2019s some science behind the idea because muscles help move fluid in the lymphatic system (Julia Musto\/Zoom)<\/p>\n

To benefit the lymphatic system, other forms of walking and movement work just as well, she said. \u201cGoing for walks, lifting weights, dancing. It’s about trying to be more active, or just generally move more,\u201d said Campbell. <\/p>\n

I definitely felt more active the first few times I did it. The exaggerated movements were more of a workout than an average walk. However it was hard to tell if it made any difference to my body\u2019s fluid retention.<\/p>\n

However, Campbell says – at day\u2019s end – it\u2019s not necessarily about the trend, but what movement does for your body. <\/p>\n

\"OneOne TikTok user swings her arms while lymphatic walking. Experts say just getting up and moving is the key to regulating the lymphatic system (@organic_girlx\/TikTok)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a conclusion Rebecca Faria, the founder of Beverly Hills lymphatic massage<\/a> clinic Detox by Rebecca, agrees with. <\/p>\n

\u201cYour heart is a pump. It pushes your blood around your body all day and you never think about it. Your lymphatic system does not have a pump. There is no motor inside,\u201d Faria, who lists actor Anne Hathaway and singer Miley Cyrus among her clients, explained to The Independent. \u201cIt only moves when something moves it, and your muscles can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Americans\u2019 increasingly sedentary<\/a> lifestyle raises their risk of painful lymphedema, swelling that occurs when there\u2019s a blockage in the lymphatic system, UCSF Health<\/a> notes. <\/p>\n

Up to 10 million Americans suffer from the condition, according to the Lymphatic Education and Research Network<\/a>. The condition can raise the risk of deadly skin infections, such as cellulitis.<\/p>\n

\"JustJust using muscles can help fluid flow throughout the body. Sedentary lifestyles leave people at risk of lymphedema, a painful swelling condition (Julia Musto and Zack Palomo)<\/p>\n

A lot of people don\u2019t have control over how long they sit if they have long commutes or are desk-bound most of the day. <\/p>\n

To help keep the lymphatic system functioning well, Faria advises 10-20 minutes of walking after sitting for a while. Lying down and putting your legs up against a wall for a similar period of time also helps drain any stagnant fluid, with gravity doing the work. <\/p>\n

Investing in a pair of compression socks may work, too. They typically sell for at least $25 a pair.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompression socks work on the same idea. They give your legs a constant, even hug, so the fluid does not have space to pool down there. Your calf muscles are pumping all day, and the socks help them do that job better,\u201d Faria said.<\/p>\n