Bringing Awareness to Breast Cancer in the Lowcountry
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month directly impacting nearly 255,000 women annually. In fact, sadly one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. For those patients in the Lowcountry recovering from surgery, or in general recovery, the journey is not easy. There is still work to do, and recovery can be an uphill battle for some. This is why physical therapy can play a critical role in your breast cancer recovery. The compassionate and specialized therapists at Horizon Rehabilitation are here to help.
Range of Motion
Our bodies are designed to move. Some people are inclined to start moving right away after surgery, while others start to move at a more cautious rate. Either way is fine. Gentle exercise is a safe way to begin moving your body after surgery, and it can also help you feel more energetic during your treatment. After breast cancer surgery, breast reconstruction or radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall, a patient may find it difficult and painful to lift her arm above her head or behind her back. Did you know that physical therapy exercises are designed to restore these movements and reduce pain? You need physical therapy to retrieve your normal range of motion.
Managing the Pain
The pain from breast surgery can be incredibly painful or leave you feeling very sore and tight. Breast surgery may cause tightness in the chest and under the arm. At Horizon Rehabilitation Sports and Medicine, our physical therapists will provide exercises to increase your fine motor control and normalize sensation dulled by the effects of chemotherapy. We also help increase your independence with various tasks so you can return to your normal activities. We also help you build upper body range of motion and strength.
Lymphedema
During recovery, you may also notice swelling in your arm, hand, or chest area after surgery. Swelling that occurs right after breast cancer surgery is common and usually resolves with time. If the swelling persists, you may have a condition called lymphedema. Lymphedema is caused when lymph nodes are removed or damaged by cancer surgery or the disease itself or due to effects of radiation. This results in swelling caused by a buildup of lymph, the clear fluid that helps the body filter waste. Lymphedema can be uncomfortable and even painful, and over time, it may result in infections. Physical therapy can help reduce swelling by moving the fluid back into the lymph system.
