Exercise for improved mobility and comfort following breast cancer surgery

I work as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist in a community setting. I want to share a story about a lady who came to see me a year post breast cancer treatment. She had had a bilateral breast tissue and lymph node removal and radiation, and as a result reasonable scar tissue across her chest. This scar tissue was causing her significant pain and restriction and causing other musculoskeletal problems with pain in her upper back and shoulders. After two sessions with her in a 1:1 exercise physiology setting and sending her home with a tailored home exercise program she experienced a significant improvement in chest and shoulder range of movement and reduction in pain and discomfort. 1 year post cancer treatment with was living with the longer term effects of her treatment and needed ongoing support and intervention to improve quality of life. I wanted to share this to ensure we have strategies and referral/funding pathways in place to support people post treatment and that people are educated as to options they have for conservative management of these side effects.