Many patients who undergo surgical operations incorporate physical therapy in their recovery plan, especially if any stage of the procedure involved legs, arms, or the central nervous system, major parts of the body moving or regulating movement. But physical therapy for breast cancer also becomes a critical part for patients who have gone through breast surgery, including surgeries for treating radiations to the breast. Whether it is a double mastectomy or a lumpectomy, most breast cancer treatments involve some kind of surgery, or even multiple surgeries, often coming with side effects, such as lymphedema along with severe pain.

Let’s look at different kinds of surgeries that patients undergo.

Physical Therapy for Breast Cancer

Regular physical activity helps you in relieving stress, boosting self-esteem, gaining strength, getting better sleep, reducing anxiety, and feeling more energized. Your physical therapist elucidates the benefits of exercise for addressing de-conditioning, quality of life issues, fatigue, and lymphedema. You should take a personalized exercise program supported by research and based on your needs. A recent study has found that women who exercised moderately after a breast cancer diagnosis had improved survival rates in comparison to more inactive women.

Occupational Therapy for Breast Cancer

Our occupational therapists will tell you about exercises that increase your fine motor control mechanism and help you normalize sensation dulled by the chemotherapy effects. Increasing your independence with tasks like typing, buttoning shirts, writing and tying your shoelaces, so that you can return back to your normal activities. There are many occupational therapists who have certifications in lymphedema management and can help you in understanding and treating this condition. They can even help you build your upper body range of motion and get back the strength.

Speech Therapy for Breast Cancer

Speech therapists treat your “mental fog” that can sometimes occur while you are undergoing your chemotherapy sessions, known as chemo brain. Chemo brain can create problems with processing, attention and multi-tasking, planning, memory, word retrieval, and organizational skills. Speech therapists will also provide you with tools that help in overcoming these issues.

Now that you know about various therapies after breast cancer, here is a term you should be aware of when you get diagnosed with breast cancer.

Pre-habilitation

Even before the physical surgery, physical therapy can help you. Pre-habilitation is the time of care that falls between the diagnosis time and actual cancer treatment. Evidence shows that pre-habilitation can improve both the physical and psychological outcomes of treatment. The main aim of physical therapy in pre-habilitation is to:

Assess measurements in baseline: ROM of shoulders spine and circumference of both the upper extremities.

Identify any impairments that might affect recoveries such as postural dysfunction, muscle weakness, and pain.

Based on the data experts establish an exercise program for before and after surgery that actually helps.

What can be expected from a Breast Cancer Rehab

• A home exercise program that is Individualized as per your needs
• The program addresses decreased range of motion, upper body weakness or pain at the same time
• Runs a full lymphedema evaluation by its own certified lymphedema therapist, if required
• Compression bandaging
• Pneumatic pumps assessments
• Provides you discounts and referrals for compression prostheses and garments
• A full evaluation assessing vision, cognition, range of motion, sensation, strength and coordination of the affected body parts
• Help you in recovering the ability to do normal activities of everyday living like eating, dressing, cleaning, driving, and bathing
• Neuropathy Interventions
• Scar management and Pain reduction
• An adequately Supportive therapy through breast cancer treatment, with chemotherapy and radiation included

Physical therapy tips

• Talk to your stage doctor. Do not start any exercise plan or physical therapy treatment without their due discretion. They may or may not prescribe physical therapy.
• Be patient. Doing too much and too fast might result in serious damage. One notices improvement over time and that stays forever.
• Breathe. Breathing helps you ease pain and reduce stress.
• Go for a regular walk. Post-surgery fitness is not only about moving and getting therapy for the affected area. Taking a brisk walk regularly is very good for the heart and even increases the blood flow, which promotes overall healing.
• Warm-up. Never exercise your cold muscles. Start slow, and be gentle while increasing or speeding up the movement. Consider performing some arm movements just after or during a warm shower.
• Look in the mirror every day. By watching yourself, you should make sure that you maintain good posture and form. This helps you build some self-confidence.
• Hydrate. Never forget to drink plenty of water when you exercise or even if you don’t.