BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH POST-MASTECTOMY REHAB & PHYSICAL THERAPY
Havingamastectomy isamajorsurgery thatcan leaveyou feelingweak, isolated, and defeated. However, with physical therapy, you’ll have a support system that willencourageyoueverystepof thewayduringyourrecoveryprocess,untilyour pain has subsided and you have regained your strength. AtProfessionalCarePhysicalTherapy&Rehabilitation,weknowhowdifficult this timecanbe.Weunderstandhowmuchyou’vegone through,andwewant tohelp you get back to your normal daily life. Contact our East Patchogue and Riverhead offices to find out more about post-mastectomy rehabilitation services and how we can help you achieve your goals. How will post-mastectomy rehabilitation benefit me? According to the American Physical Therapy Association, “Postoperative physical therapy that begins as early as 2 days after surgery significantly improves joint mobility and widely improves the quality of life for women who underwent mastectomies.” In fact, inastudypublishedbytheEuropeanJournalofPhysicalandRehabilitation Medicine, researchers examined the effects of physical therapy treatments on women who underwent a mastectomy or segmental mastectomy with axillary dissection. These women were divided into two groups, with one group receiving post-mastectomy physical therapy, and a control group that did not. Women who received the physical therapy rehabilitation treatments began their sessions two days after undergoing surgery. Sessions lasted 40 minutes, 5 days a week, during the duration of the drainage. After the drainage was removed, sessions increased to an hour, and the women completed 20 additional sessions. Improvement in shoulder flexion was reported as early as 5 days after surgery in thetreatmentgroup,andprogressgradually increasedasthesewomencontinued
theirsessions.Resultsofthisstudyconcludedthatthetreatmentgroupexperienced improved jointmobility,reducedpain,andawidely improvedqualityof lifecompared to the control group, that had none of those outcomes.
How can I get started? Physical therapy is an integral part of post-mastectomy recovery. Our physical therapistsarehighly trained inhelpingyouregainyourrangeofmotionasquickly as possible, so you can avoid any unwanted complications, such as lymphedema. If thiscondition (orothercomplications)dohappen tooccur,ourphysical therapist will treat you accordingly and help bring you back to your normal function. At Professional Care PT, you don’t only receive treatment - you receive a team of supporters to help you out and let you know you’re not alone in your journey. When you arrive for your initial appointment, our physical therapist will conduct acomprehensiveexam todetermine thebestcourseof treatment foryourneeds. From there,an individualized treatmentplanwillbedesignedspecifically foryou, including targetedstretches,exercises,andanyadditionalmodalitiesourphysical therapist may deem appropriate. It is likelythatourphysicaltherapistwillalsoprescribegentleexercisesoractivities foryou todoathome, inorder tomaintainprogressandhelpyourrecoveryperiod movealongquicker.Ourphysicaltherapistmayalsoadviseslight lifestylechanges duringyourrecovery time, includingmodifiedwaysofperformingyourdaily tasks to facilitatethehealingprocess,whilemaintainingyour functionand independence. Haveyourecentlyundergoneamastectomy?AtProfessionalCarePhysicalTherapy and Rehabilitation, we are here for you during this difficult time. We want to help yougetbacktoyournormal lifeasquicklyaspossible.Contactustodaytoschedule a consultation and get started on the path toward recovery.
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