Exercise is an important component to recovery from breast cancer. Adverse effects should not be overlooked. Seeking medical attention quickly from the oncology team will facilitate recovery. In most cases, adverse effects can be overcome or managed with the help of an oncology-trained physical therapist.
Muscle Damage
Muscles affected by breast surgery are more likely to be damaged in an exercise routine early in recovery. Surgeons rarely cut into the pectoralis muscle on the chest wall. The rectus abdominis muscle along the stomach may, however, be damaged during certain breast reconstruction surgeries. Your surgeon should clarify what muscles have been operated on before starting a strengthening regimen.
Lymphedema
In the past, doctors often warned breast cancer survivors against exercise, for fear of causing lymphedema, or chronic swelling of the arm and chest. But research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2003 found that even women with lymphedema experience no greater swelling after exercise. Any swelling that occurs should be addressed immediately by a certified lymphedema therapist.
Pain
Pain with exercise often stems from starting a routine too rapidly or doing too much at once. Additionally, breast cancer survivors can experience pain with exercise as a direct effect of their treatment. Surgery can leave scars that make stretching uncomfortable. And the myofascial tissues, located below the skin and above the muscle, can cause discomfort with movement after surgery or radiation. Manual therapy can often reduce these symptoms.
Fatigue
While it is true that if overdone, exercise can leave you feeling more tired. But over-exercising is not the only culprit. According to Leslie Waltke, fatigue and pain are the two most common side effects of cancer treatment. More important, "rehabilitation is is the best way to treat, reduce, eliminate and/or prevent the most frequent CA treatment side effects including fatigue and pain," says Waltke. If done correctly, exercise won't cause fatigue but will combat it.
References
- "Journal of Clinical Oncology"; Effect of Upper Extremity Exercise on Secondary Lymphedema in Breast Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study; Donald C. McKenzie; February 2003
- Leslie J. Waltke, PT; Regional Cancer Rehabilitation Coordinator; Aurora Health Care; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
