As you are fighting cancer, your team of doctors is working hard to keep you alive and help you become cancer free. They're focused on life and death. They may not have the time to help you cope with side-effects and after-effects of your cancer treatment. This is where your physical therapist comes in.
Physical Therapy During Breast Cancer Treatment
Physical therapy improves energy levels, mental outlook, and muscle and nerve function during cancer treatment. It also decreases the risk of dangerous falls from balance issues associated with chemotherapy. At Back in Motion Physical Therapy, we have breast cancer specialists who provide supervised, individualized exercise programs to give you more control over your body and allow you to stay as strong as possible as you battle cancer.
Pre-Mastectomy Physical Therapy Check-up
A pre-mastectomy physical therapy check-up helps you prepare for your surgery. Your physical therapist assesses your posture and shoulder mobility so you are aware of your pre-surgery capabilities and may set the goal to return to that level during your rehabilitation. Your therapist also helps prepare you for what to expect during your recovery, including support garments you will need, movement restrictions to follow, normal healing progress to expect, and how to catch early signs of complications. Your therapist also teaches you the exercises that will be safe in the days and weeks following surgery so you can be prepared and take better control of your recovery.
Physical Therapy after Breast Cancer Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation
Not all breast cancers are the same, and no two treatments are exactly alike. Medical treatments differ based on the size of the primary cancer tumor, lymph node involvement, presence or absence of distant metastasis, and hormone-receptor or HER2+-receptor status. Similarly, no two recoveries are exactly the same. Physical therapy provided by a breast-cancer specialist tailors your care to meet your unique needs, including care for:
- Postural Deficits
- Shoulder Dysfunction
- Pain
- Cardiovascular Impairments
- Lymphedema
- Osteoporosis
- Urinary and Sexual Dysfunction
- Fatigue
Physical therapists use myriad treatments to help you combat the side-effects and after-effects of cancer care, including:
- Hands-on manual therapies to decrease pain, swelling, mobility restrictions, and muscle tightness
- Exercise to build strength and endurance, improve heart health, and encourage deeper and longer sleep
- Motor-control training to improve posture, balance, and muscle control
- Functional training to teach you how to move your body in more efficient ways that help decrease strain, fatigue, fracture risk, and urinary or sexual dysfunction
- Physical therapy compliments your medical care and plays a crucial role in enhancing your quality of life through every stage of your survivorship journey.
For more detailed information regarding our Breast Cancer Rehabilitation program click on the link below to download our free ebook!
