How Physical Therapy Helps Breast Cancer Patients

Cancer is a devastating diagnosis that no one wants to hear, and it can change the whole landscape of a person’s life in an instant. Well, breast cancer is one of the deadliest and most common types of cancer affecting women today. Statistics have shown that at least one in eight women will get a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.

As technology has constantly evolved throughout the years, new research and treatments have been developed as an aid to helping find a breast cancer cure. However, as we have seen on medical advertisements, there are many side effects out there that can affect your body. When undergoing treatment for breast cancer, common side effects that can occur are weakness, fatigue, pain, stiffness, nerve irritation, and nausea.

It is said that physical therapy and exercise have been a big help for people who have suffered from breast cancer, to regain strength and mobility, and improve their overall quality of life. A physical therapist will work with you to design a treatment and exercise regimen tailored specifically for you.

Physical therapy has been shown to decrease common side effects during and after cancer treatment, such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, as well as improving cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and range of motion. People who exercise have a reduced risk of disease and reoccurrence of other diseases besides cancer, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

As said before, receiving a cancer diagnosis can be devastating. Physical therapy can replace the need for surgery by implementing a variety of techniques to help with scar tissue, and improve mobility, strength, and flexibility. It will also give you added strength and energy, and improve your general fitness and mood.

At Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland, our highly trained physical therapy team offers individualized treatment plans to help our patients reach their highest level of independent functioning. If you have cancer or are recovering from breast cancer treatment or surgery, physical therapy can help you recover, with the goal of helping you get back to an active lifestyle that you deserve. Call Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland at (410) 644-1880, or request an appointment online.