Best Breast Cancer Exercises After Surgery: Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Here’s a picture of my Mom (LIVING HER BEST LIFE 10 years after breast cancer) and I when she visited me in San Francisco. After her double mastectomy, she did all of her breast cancer exercises, and has no problems with her shoulders years later!

It’s almost the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Did you know that Marin has some of the highest rates of breast cancer in the world? Thankfully those numbers have started to decrease over the past few years. Some believe the numbers are so high because of lifestyle factors associated with affluence. For example, one theory is that women in Marin have children later in life. Another theory is that women of higher socioeconomic class also tend to partake in more alcohol consumption…

Things Are Looking Good…

On a positive note, however, the increased rates of breast cancer locally have created TONS of resources for women in the area. Treatment options in the United States for breast cancer have improved drastically, and the national survival rate is promising! According to the American Cancer Society, the 5 year relative survival rate after a breast cancer diagnosis is 90%!! Here is more information on survival rates.

Local Resources

One great local resource is the UCSF Breast Health Center in Marin. They provide screening for early breast cancer detection, breast cancer decision services, meditation and guided imagery resources….and my favorite: CANCER EXERCISE COUNSELING

Exercise Can Truly Help!

According to the UCSF website, women who participated in any moderate-intensity physical exercise during their breast cancer diagnosis had a “64% lower risk of death compared to inactive women.” There are a lot of ways that exercise can help you during and after your cancer treatment. Did you know that exercising can reduce your risk of developing lymphedema?! Many studies have also shown that incorporating cardiovascular exercise in your routine while getting chemotherapy can help to combat some of the associated side effects of fatigue.

Best Breast Cancer Exercises After Surgery

If you or somebody you know has had to go through breast surgery, here is a list of breast cancer exercises you can do to maintain your posture and help with your shoulder mobility. If you’ve had a mastectomy, it is easy for your shoulder complex to become tight. (Make sure you consult with your physician and physical therapist before initiating any exercise program!) Avoid a “hunched forward” posture with these exercises:

[remember that any precautions set by your doctor should be strictly followed first. These are written with the intention of improving arm function when medical restrictions are cleared]

1. “Lightbulbs” : Stand up tall with your arms by your side, and pretend like you are going to screw in a lightbulb. Screw in the “lightbulbs” clockwise by squeezing your shoulder blades in the back and holding for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10x.
2. Shoulder Blade Squeeze: In a sitting or standing position, bend your elbows to 90 degrees and squeeze your shoulder blades together, holding for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10x.
3. Wall Crawl (if you have a hard time raising your arm above head): Stand in front of a wall and crawl your hand up as high as you can on the wall until you feel a stretch in your shoulder. Repeat 10x.
4. Pec Stretch: Go up against a wall or doorway. Bend your elbow and bring your shoulder up to 90 degrees. Rotate away from your arm until you feel a stretch in the front part of your shoulder/chest. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.