Objective To activate lymphatic circulation in patients with grade Ⅲ lymphedema of the back of the hand of the operated side following breast cancer surgery, and to relieve symptoms and pathological changes. Methods A total of 86 breast cancer patients with grade Ⅲ lymphedema of the upper limb were chronologically divided into a routine group of 44 and a modified group of 42. The routine group received conventional multi-layer bandaging alone from the finger to the shoulder, while the modified group was subjected to multi-layer bandaging in combination with Schneider bandaging once a day. The effect was evaluated after 20-day intervention. Results The modified group showed significantly decreased circumference of the affected hand, lower rates of tightness, numbness, and swelling compared with the routine group （P＜0.05,P＜0.01）. Conclusion Multi-layer bandaging combined with Schneider bandaging can effectively activate lymphatic circulation, thus to restore the shape of the limbs and relieve subjective symptoms.