Women who undergo the removal of one or both of their breasts due to cancer or other issues will typically be given mastectomy exercises to do after surgery to reduce pain, increase flexibility, and restore strength in the joints and muscles in the area. The first exercises done will typically be small, simple movements like wrist flexes or shoulder shrugs to start increasing range of motion. As the patient heals, she can start to incorporate exercises like arm lifts or presses to improve strength, as well as increase the range of stretching movements. Equipment like free weights or an exercise ball may also be incorporated over time to increase effectiveness.
It is important for patients to consult with their doctors before starting any mastectomy exercises, to avoid doing them too soon after surgery. Doctors can recommend the best time to start, and will likely recommend patients begin with some easy moves that are not too strenuous. Some very basic moves can include making and holding a fist or flexing the wrist and elbow. Movements that exercise the shoulders, like circling them or shrugging and holding, are also good to start with. It may also be helpful to use a wall to walk the arms up until they are fully extended prior to being able to do it independently.
As the patient grows stronger, she will likely be able to move on to mastectomy exercises that focus more on strengthening the muscles and increasing flexibility even further. Arm extensions and lifts can be used for both of these purposes, and can be done in a variety of ways to work different muscles. From a standing position, the arms can be lifted in front, to the sides, or above the body, with the position held for several seconds to strengthen or gently stretch. One can also lay on the floor and do presses upward or raises to bring the arms together from the sides.
Once a patient is well on her way to regaining strength and flexibility, she may wish to start using equipment to improve the effectiveness of her mastectomy exercises. Hands placed on an exercise ball and rolled forward along the floor can help extend a shoulder stretch. Light hand weights can be incorporated slowly, first sliding them along the floor while doing certain movements, and then lifting them to increase resistance.
