Good exercise for breast cancer patients after surgery

After breast cancer surgery , due to the wound not healing and damage to the armpit area, it affects some daily activities such as bathing, dressing, combing hair, moving shoulders and arms…

Post-operative rehabilitation exercises are being implemented by physicians in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Bach Mai Hospital to help patients quickly restore movement and strength of the shoulder and arm, and limit the formation of scar tissue. , as well as reducing the incidence and severity of lymphedema, improving the cardiovascular system, skeletal system, reducing stress and anxiety, helping to sleep well…

According to doctors, 30 minutes of daily exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 50% and increase survival rate by 70%. Therefore, after surgery, you need to start exercising early (if possible), exercising 2 or 3 times a day to prevent complications and restore arm strength and activity.

So that exercise can be carried out conveniently and safely in accordance with each stage of the patient; The Department of Thoracic Surgery – Bach Mai Hospital has created training instruction clips with specific exercises for patients after surgery.

1. First week after surgery

– Exercise 1: Fold and stretch your arms (Can be practiced in a lying or sitting position)

The patient lies on the normal side or sits on a chair with a pillow behind the back, the arm on the newly operated side is stretched out in front on a support pillow at a level higher than the level of the heart.

Then from clenching and opening the newly operated hand to the maximum, perform 15 to 25 times. Slowly and gently flex and stretch the elbow on the operated side to a maximum of 15 to 25 times.

This exercise helps reduce swelling after surgery by using the muscles as a pump to increase circulation in the hand. Practice twice a day.

– Exercise 2: Shrug and rotate your shoulders

The patient sits or stands, head and neck straight, shoulders relaxed and equal. Slowly raise your shoulder joints up towards your ears to the maximum level, hold at that level for 5-10 seconds, then lower your shoulders back to the original level, relax and do it again 5-10 times. Practice twice a day.

– Exercise 3: Raise both arms

The patient sits or stands, head and neck straight, shoulders relaxed and kept equal.

Interlace your hands together in front of your chest, palms facing inward, then stretch your arms out in front. Then slowly raise both hands above the head until the patient feels a slight stretch in the hands, hold the hands in that position for 1-2 seconds and then slowly lower the hands back to the starting position. Repeat 5-10 times, twice a day.

– Exercise 4: Squeeze the shoulder blades

The patient sits in a chair without backrest or stands, head and neck straight, shoulders relaxed, arms stretched next to the body, elbow joints on both sides flexed.

Slowly squeeze and push the shoulder blades together, while keeping the shoulder joint in a fixed position, do not raise or lower the shoulders, do not shrug. Hold in that position for 5-10 seconds, relax and then return to the starting position. Do this 5-10 times. Practice twice a day.

– Exercise 5: Bend your shoulders with your arms crossed in front of your chest

The patient sits in a chair without a backrest or stands, with his head and neck straight, and his arms relaxed and held horizontally.

Use your healthy hand to support the hand of the newly operated side by holding the healthy hand on the elbow of the newly operated side and then lifting it forward until the elbow joint is equal to the shoulder joint, holding in that position for 5-10 seconds. Then return your hands to the starting position and repeat 5-10 times. Practice twice a day.

– Exercise 6: Abduct the shoulder joint with the elbow bent

The patient sits or stands, head, neck and back straight, shoulders relaxed and kept equal, arms spread out to the sides, elbows bent and hands placed on both shoulders.

Then raise your elbows on both sides until they are level with your shoulders, hold for a few seconds, then return your elbows to the old position and repeat 5-10 times. Practice twice a day, morning and afternoon.

– Exercise 7: Bend the shoulder joint with the elbow bent

Stretch your arms forward, bend your elbows, and place your hands on your shoulders. Raise your elbows on both sides to shoulder level, hold for a few seconds.

Bring your elbows back to their original position and repeat 5-10 times like that. Practice twice a day.

2. Week 2 after surgery

– Exercise 1: Fold the shoulder joints on both sides

The patient stands or lies supine. Stretch your arms straight out in front, parallel to each other. Then raise your arms above your head as much as possible to the maximum. Hold for a few seconds then return to the starting position and repeat 5-10 times, twice a day.

– Exercise 2: Compression combined with rotation in the shoulder joint

The patient stands or sits. Open and stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder level, palms facing up. Raise your hands up to your ears and then bring your hands down, palms together behind your buttocks. Rest for a few seconds then repeat 5-10 times. Practice twice a day, morning and afternoon.

– Exercise 3: Abduct the shoulder joint with the elbow bent

The patient stands, sits or lies on his back, head and neck straight, palms pressed against the back of the neck. Then slowly push your elbows back, stretch your shoulders and arms outward, hold for a few seconds, return to the starting position and repeat 5-10 times.

– Exercise 4: Internal rotation of the shoulder joint

The patient stands or sits straight, symmetrical on both sides. Then place the hand on the newly operated side behind you, the back of the hand close to the back and slowly push the hand up as much as possible to the maximum. Stop there for a few seconds, then return your hands to the old position and repeat 5-10 times, once a day.

3. Week 3 after surgery

– Exercise 1: Bend both shoulder joints with a stick

The exercise is performed in 03 positions to enhance forward movement of the shoulder.

+ Position 1: The patient lies on his back, legs folded, holding both hands on the “exercise stick” shoulder-width apart, palms facing down. Then straighten your arms out in front, lift the exercise stick up towards your head until you feel your shoulders and arms are stretched, hold in that position for 1-2 seconds, bring your hands back to the starting position. Repeat this 5-7 times.

+ Position 2: Perform the exercise as above but the distance between the two hands holding the stick is wider than the distance between the shoulders.

+ Position 3: Perform the exercise as above but with palms facing up, the distance between the hands is equal to the distance between the two hip joints. Practice twice a day, morning and afternoon.

– Exercise 2: Create an eagle shape

The patient lies supine on the bed or on the floor, arms stretched out to the sides. Then bring your hands up to your head, then down to your thighs and vice versa 5-10 times. Practice twice a day.

– Exercise 3: Abduct and close the shoulders

This exercise helps increase forward mobility of the chest and shoulder joints. It may take several weeks of this practice to get your elbows touching the floor. If the patient feels pain or pins and needles in the shoulder, place a small pillow behind the head, over the shoulder joint on the side of surgery.

The patient lies on his back, legs folded, hands clasped behind the neck, arms facing the ceiling. If in this position the patient feels uncomfortable, place two hands with fingers together on the forehead, palms facing up.

Then bring your elbows down towards the floor as far as possible, hold that position for 1-2 seconds, and repeat 5-10 times. Practice twice a day.

– Exercise 4: Adjust posture

Exercises help correct posture and enhance shoulder joint mobility. You should practice in front of a mirror to check your posture and movements. You can practice in a sitting position on a chair without a backrest, or standing. Practice twice a day.

The patient’s arms are stretched along both sides of the body, elbows are extended, palms are facing the body. Then stretch your chest, slowly push and squeeze your shoulder blades together and turn your hands outward, palms facing forward. Hold like that for 5-10 seconds, then relax and return to the original position. Repeat 5-10 times.

– Exercise 5: Fingers climbing the wall

The patient faces the wall, about 5cm away, placing both hands on the wall at shoulder height.

Crawl with your fingers or slide your hand up the wall until the patient feels a stretch, then raise your hand back to the starting position. Repeat 5-10 times like that. Practice twice a day, morning and afternoon.

Wall crawling increases the mobility of the shoulder joint, the patient tries every day to move his arms higher than the previous day.

4. Pay attention when practicing

– Exercises need to be safe and suitable for health status. Exercises must not cause pain or stinging during exercise. If these symptoms appear, stop exercising immediately.

– Wear loose, comfortable clothes before starting.

– About 3-6 weeks after surgery is the first stage of wound healing and after drain removal. Patients should avoid lifting objects weighing more than 0.5kg with the hand on the surgery side.