Physical Therapy can help restore health and wellness to cancer survivors! After surgery and/or radiation, treatment areas can be impacted by scar tissue formation, edema, pain, limited mobility and puckering of incision sites. In breast cancer related surgeries, patients may also be impacted by tightening of the pectoral, chest wall, shoulder and intercostal muscles. Manual techniques can help to minimize edema, mobilize scar tissue, prevent adhesions, reduce tightness, restore joint range of motion, improve shoulder and chest wall function and improve the quality of skin and underlying tissue required for reconstructive surgery. Treatment techniques can be beneficial to function after breast cancer related surgeries, melanoma surgeries, upper and lower extremity surgeries and for lymphedema management.
Can We Help You?
- Mobilize scar tissue
- Prevent adhesions and reduce tightness
- Restore ROM
- Restore chest wall mobility
- Improve functional activities
- Improve cosmetic reconstruction outcomes
- Minimize edema
- Lymphedema education
- Lymphedema management
Therapy Techniques
- Manual techniques to minimize edema, mobilize scar tissue, prevent adhesions and reduce tightness
- Manual techniques to restore chest wall function
- Stretching and range of motion exercises
- Guided progressive strengthening exercises
- Kinesiotape techniques
- Lymphedema management
- Patient education and home program
Source: Julia Osborne, PT, CMLDT 2007
