Cancer Patients Turning to Physical Therapy After Treatment

Cancer patients are now seeing the benefits from physical therapy after their treatments.

After surviving and learning they are cancer free, many patients are faced with the costs of aggressive cancer treatments.

Chronic health issues can stem from a variety of cancer treatments. Many cancer medications cause muscle and joint pain and nerve damage. Scarring from radiation can lead to problems with strength and range of motion. And, a mastectomy and reconstructive breast surgery can cause chronic swelling and pain in addition to mobility issues.

Most cancer treatments don’t just kill the cancer – they also damage healthy cells and tissue.

That’s where physical therapists can help. Using a variety of non-invasive programs, a qualified physical therapist can help cancer survivors prevent – or overcome – long term problems. Some kinds of treatments include:

Aquatic Therapy
Buoyancy reduces the stress on muscles, hydrostatic pressure decreases swelling, and the heat of the pool relaxes muscles and helps ease pain. Aquatic therapy is a great way to manage inflammation and pain, increase patient strength, improve postures and return post-op breast surgery patients or those struggling with muscular weakness to activity as quickly and safely as possible.
Learn more about Aquatic Therapy.

Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
Persistent pain, limited mobility and weakness can limit a woman’s function after a breast cancer surgery. All patients who have undergone a mastectomy, lumpectomy, axillary dissection or breast reconstruction are candidates for this therapy. However, those patients who have not achieved full active shoulder range of motion and a gradual return to their pre-surgical activity level are particularly good candidates for therapy intervention.
Learn more about Breast Cancer Rehabilitation.

Manual Therapy
The benefits of massage are wide-reaching. Massage can help relieve stress, decrease muscle tension and stimulates the release of endorphins that work as your body’s natural pain killer. Other benefits include increased joint flexibility and range of motion, enhanced immune system, movement of lymph fluids, reduced scar tissue and a reduction in depression and anxiety.
Read about Manual Therapy program options.

At Bon Secours In Motion Physical Therapy, our main mission is to restore function and quality of life to all patients. Contact us today for information about a physical therapist who specializes in cancer or can help you recover what you’ve lost.