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Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
Our clinic owner and physical therapist, Britt Zink, has first-hand knowledge and insight of the critical role that physical therapists play in rehabilitation and recovery from breast cancer. Her sister, Candace, is a courageous breast cancer survivor and Britt was by her side during each phase of her breast cancer journey: preparing for surgery, preparing for radiation treatments, dealing with the side-effects of chemotherapy and hormone therapy treatments and post operative recovery. And once the initial treatment was completed, Britt helped her sister to THRIVE DURING RECOVERY as she transitioned to her wellness program with cardiovascular exercise, soft tissue stretching and mobilization, fall risk reduction and balance rehabilitation as well as strength training to combat the effects of chemotherapy and hormone therapy treatments.
When a person is first diagnosed with breast cancer, the key focus of the patient and their care team is treating the cancer and preventing recurrence. During this early phase of treatment, care may focus on surgical intervention, chemotherapy, radiation, plastic surgery and/or hormone therapy.
Treatment to fight cancer and prevent recurrence is just the first step... thriving in recovery is just as important.
Our goal is to restore function and teach self-management techniques early in the recovery process. Our compassionate and experienced therapists will be there for you on your journey, helping you and encouraging you to thrive in recovery.
If you are recovering from breast cancer, or have had prophylactic (preventative) mastectomy after a positive test for BRCA gene mutation, we are here to help you in your recovery journey.
Benefits of physical therapy for Breast Cancer Treatment and Recovery:
To reduce post-surgical side effects:
- Scar tissue/soft tissue mobility
- Axillary Web Syndrome (AWS)
- Flexibility
- Range of Motion
- Strength
To Prepare for Radiation:
- To ensure you have adequate range of motion to begin radiation treatment
- Decreased cardiovascular endurance
- Sarcopenia (loss of lean muscle mass, strength and function)
- Improve balance and decrease risk for falls
To Combat the Side Effects of Hormone Therapy:
- Loss of bone density
- Loss of lean muscle mass
- Improve balance and decrease risk for falls
Physical Therapy Treatments for breast cancer can help with:
- Myofascial release techniques
- Shoulder dysfunction management
- Orthopedic shoulder and/or neck issues
- Posture restoration
- Post-fat-grafting and plastic surgery tissue remodeling
- Acute and chronic rehabilitation strategies
- Reconstruction soft tissue re-alignment and functional recovery
- Cancer-related fatigue management
- Breast care for individuals who test positive for BRCA gene mutation
Empowerment to Thrive in Recovery:
- Our experienced and compassionate therapists believe that empowerment through active patient engagement and education is critical in the recovery process.
- We focus on preparing you about symptoms you may encounter during your recovery, as well as coping strategies and exercises that may be beneficial throughout your healing process.
