Take Action: Rehab and Strength Training for Survivors

If you were to have knee surgery, physical therapy is always thought to be part of the standard rehabilitation process. But after breast cancer surgery, physical therapy is not always routinely suggested. This is unfortunate, since following breast cancer surgery and treatment, you may experience: pain, swelling, loss of movement and strength of the involved arm, scarring, fatigue, neuropathy, and difficulty with daily activities.  

According to Susan Palmer, PT with Palmer Physical Therapy for Women current research shows that early post-surgical physical therapy can be beneficial in addressing these issues. 
 

Scar tissue, which is the body's way of healing from surgery, can result in very dense tissue under your incision, which is painful and which can restrict your arm's range of motion.  This can put you more at risk for a painful condition known as frozen shoulder. While a physical therapist may not be able to restore one hundred percent of your pre-surgery level of shoulder function, early treatment increase the odds that you'll regain range of motion and strength.

Numbness and/or nerve sensitivity is often experienced at your surgical site. Manual therapy can help restore sensation and relieve nerve pain caused by scar tissue impinging on nerves. Physical therapy can be very effective at releasing scar tissue and thus reducing nerve-related pain.

Cording is a moderate to severe painful tightening that extends down your arm.  This may develop if you've had either a sentinel node biopsy or an axillary node dissection.  Your armpit area can also be painful due to scar tissue. Over time, this condition may resolve on its own, but with manual therapy and therapeutic stretching, it's likely to resolve much more quickly.

Fibrosis and skin tightness can result from radiation after mastectomy surgery that may cause posture and range of motion problems. Manual therapy can reduce these issues and, if initiated early, may prevent them from ever becoming a problem.

 

Risk of lymphedema can be reduced by appropriately progressed strength training.

Palmer adds that chronic pain and postural problems can appear years later if rehabilitation is not complete following breast surgery and treatment. 

 

It is reasonable for survivors to expect to be 98% or better of their prior level.  Therapy can help you get back to that prior level of function and living a healthier, more active lifestyle.

 

Palmer is a member of the Women’s Health, Oncology, and Orthopedic Sections of the American Physical Therapy Association.