Stacey Gilmore on Lymphatic Health: A Physical Therapist's Guide to Recovery, Running and Real Life

She treats patients by day, trains for marathons at dawn and raises a daughter in between. Physical therapist Stacey Gilmore has made lymphatic health the center of her practice in Austin, Texas. She talks with us about the body's most overlooked system, her marathon recovery routine, self-care without guilt, and why L'Original has become part of her everyday life, from the clinic to the long run.

A Calling That Began in a Physical Therapy Clinic

What first drew you to physical therapy, and what led you to lymphatic care?

In high school, a close friend tore his ACL during a football game. He didn't have a car, so I drove him to his physical therapy appointments. I watched a dedicated clinician and a determined patient work together, session after session, on the long road from injury back to strength. In that moment, I understood not just what I wanted to do, but who I wanted to be.

Years later, a mentor opened my eyes to lymphatic health, a system so fundamental to how we feel and function, yet so long overlooked by conventional medicine. It transformed the way I practice. It also led me to Slipstream Solutions, a medical start-up taking lymphatic care to a new level, including in cancer rehabilitation.

“To witness a patient reclaim comfort, mobility and quality of life is to understand how long this system has deserved our full attention.”

What the Lymphatic System Does, and Why It Matters

For someone who has heard about lymphatic health but doesn't really understand it, how would you explain it?

Your lymphatic system is your body's waste removal and immune defense network. It can get very sluggish. Every time you walk, breathe deeply or drink water, you're helping your body clear out everything it doesn't need.

How do you make that relevant to everyday life?

It matters for everyone, and it is far more extensive than most people imagine. When it works efficiently, it can help lower inflammation, decrease pain and improve energy. This is the system that helps you thrive.

“Your lymphatic system is your body's waste removal and immune defense network.”

Listening to Your Body: What Marathon Training Taught Her

As a marathon runner, you ask a lot of your body. What has running taught you?

If I want my body to perform, I have to take very good care of it: sleep well, hydrate, eat enough to fuel my body, keep my lymphatic system moving, and listen. I didn't always prioritize these. The resilience of youth has a way of masking what we are missing.

How do you tell normal training fatigue from a signal that needs attention?

Persistent tightness that foam rolling can't resolve, fatigue that sleep doesn't touch, a heaviness in my legs that no amount of movement lifts. When I am doing everything right and still feel off, that is not a sign of failure.

“That is my body asking for something deeper: rest, stillness and the space to reset.”

I recently had to relearn this. Training for the NYC Marathon, I wasn't sleeping enough and was trying to fit too much into each day. My six-month blood work showed my cortisol was way too high, and I was feeling it. I made sleep a priority again, and I feel the difference every day, in training and in life.

Stacey's Marathon Recovery Routine

What does recovery actually look like for you?

Right after a long run, I eat a high-protein, high-carb meal within 30 to 60 minutes. Then a warm shower, three minutes in my cold plunge, and I slide straight into my Elastique L'Original set. And I get good sleep.

“This recovery protocol has made a huge difference in how I feel the entire day and into the next training session.”

And the days after a marathon?

Very much the same, day after day, for several weeks. After a marathon, your body takes weeks to recover fully. I support it with sleep, nutrition, hydration, hot and cold therapy, and bodywork.

Lymphatic Massage vs. Deep Tissue: What to Know Before You Book

Lymphatic massage gets a lot of attention. What should someone understand before booking a session?

Many people expect it to feel like the deep tissue work they're used to, and are surprised by how gentle it is. Deep tissue works into muscle with pressure and intensity. Lymphatic massage is intentionally light, precise and rhythmic, targeting the delicate vessels just beneath the skin.

“More pressure is not more effective here. It is counterproductive.”

In my practice, I use a machine with engineered air that stimulates the lymphatic system, which is very different from manual lymphatic massage. We are currently doing clinical research on it.

How can someone find a qualified practitioner?

If you can get a referral from another clinician or medical professional, that is ideal.

Compression for Recovery, Even for Very Active People

What do you wish people understood about compression?

Compression is one of the most versatile, evidence-backed and underutilized tools in both clinical and wellness settings, from athletic recovery to clinical care. The key is matching the right type, gradient and pressure to the person and their needs, which is where clinical expertise makes all the difference.

L'Original, From the Clinic to the Long Run

When you first tried Elastique, what were you curious about as a therapist, and what did you notice wearing it?

As a clinician, I never recommend what I haven't personally experienced. So before sharing Elastique with my patients, I had to know for myself. The results genuinely surprised me. On my longest days in the clinic, it makes a measurable difference: the leg fatigue I once accepted as part of the job is significantly reduced. After 20-mile runs on asphalt, I notice less joint achiness, less fatigue and a faster return to feeling recovered.

“This is not placebo. This is compression technology doing exactly what the science says it should. And that is precisely why I am confident recommending it to my patients.”

Where does Elastique fit into your life today?

It has become something I simply reach for. Even after the longest days, there's a lightness and a sense of renewal I've come to rely on. I wear it more and more, and I'm now collecting styles and colors so I can change up my wearable wellness every day.

“I would not have thought a garment this beautiful could provide that. Elastique has changed that assumption entirely.”

Which pieces do you reach for?

The L'Original legging and compression bra for cooler months and demanding clinic days, the biker short or the Monte Carlo short for warm-weather runs. With clients, the conversation goes deeper: their goals, their activity, their daily life. The right garment is never one-size-fits-all. It is always personal.

Motherhood and Self-Care Without Guilt

How has motherhood changed the way you care for yourself?

I take it much more seriously. I want my daughter to see me prioritizing my health, so it feels normal to her.

“I want her to learn to rest without guilt, hydrate consistently and prioritize sleep. It is self-care, and it is not selfish. It is foundational.”

How do you adapt your routines to the time and energy you actually have?

Wellness is not a checklist to be completed. It is a practice to be sustained. I show up for myself in whatever way is available that day, and release the rest without guilt. Progress over perfection, presence over pressure.

Her Pearl of Wisdom: “Be Gracious with Yourself”

For someone with a full life who wants to take better care of their body, where should they begin?

Prioritize your sleep, the quality as much as the hours. It is where the body repairs, the brain clears and the system resets. Nothing else you do will reach its full potential if your sleep is compromised. And sleep helps promote healthy lymphatics.

And one lesson you'd want readers to carry with them?

Be gracious with yourself. There will be days when everything aligns, and days when it simply does not. Treat yourself with the same kindness you would extend to someone you love.

“Perfection was never the goal. Consistency, intention and self-compassion are.”

Find Stacey at AlignWell ATX in Austin, Texas.

Your questions on lymphatic health

What does the lymphatic system do?

It acts as the body's waste removal and immune defense network, clearing out what the body doesn't need. Everyday habits like walking, deep breathing and staying hydrated help keep it moving.

How can I support my lymphatic system every day?

Prioritize sleep, stay hydrated, eat enough to fuel your body, move regularly and breathe deeply. Consistency matters more than perfection.

What is the difference between lymphatic massage and deep tissue massage?

Deep tissue massage works into the muscle with firm pressure. Lymphatic massage is light, precise and rhythmic, because it targets delicate vessels just beneath the skin. More pressure is not more effective.

Can I wear compression leggings for recovery after running?

Yes. Many runners change into a gradual compression legging like L'Original after a long run, as part of a routine that also includes refueling, hydration and sleep.

Stacey Gilmore is an Elastique Ambassador. This article reflects her personal experience and professional perspective. It is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.