arm mobility after mastectomy

Hi there - I had a modified radical masectomy last August. Because I was a competitive swimmer, I had a well developed muscle that had to be moved and some nerves got messed up. I too had some scar tissue that developed after the surgery. You must do the exercises that your surgeon told you too...even if it hurts!! What finally will happen is the tissue will pop. You may even feel this snap sensation when it does.

The best exercise that helped me was standing next to a door or wall and walking my fingers up the wall with my arm out straight. I would do this in front and to my side. I would do this three times a day...sometimes more. Every time I would see if I could go up a little farther. It hurt horribly but I knew that if I didn't I could develop something like a frozen shoulder which is even more pain and you need to go to physical therapy.

I am so sorry that you have this pain. I remember it well. I took advil or tylenol to help but truly it gets better if you do the exercises and move that arm. This was one of the problems that developed for me that I felt I wasn't truly prepared for. I couldn't imagine the pain of lack of mobility in my arm.

Keep on trying to move it. You can show your Dr. the "vein" (which is exactly what I thought mine was until he told me it was an adhesion) and work on it until you feel it give. My snapped 3 times before it finally gave. I have mobility of my arm now and I try to keep my arm in motion. I still however have a problem with backstroke!

Let us know your progress and hopefully it will improve.

Ruth

Hi! Pain and stiffness are normal after a mastectomy. You're not going to push yourself thru pain. It's human nature to stop if it hurts. My suggestion is to ask your surgeon for a referral to a Physical Therapist. She/He will help you with relaxation as well as help you stretch the muscles to their full capabilities.It's much easier to exercise if someone is helping you and guiding you thru. I had a mastectomy with reconstruction almost 4 years ago. I had full motion in my arm right away but because I play tennis and I am a Physical Therapist in a nursing home, I knew I needed to work on my strength as well as stretching my abdomen (I had a tram flap). The therapy was uncomfortable but I was able to play tennis after 7 weeks and return back to work the same time.Good luck to you. Feel free to write to me if you have any questions. HUGS!! Cathy

sassysally said:

scrub floors
stretching and reaching alittle at a time. Also, throw a rope over your shower curtain rod and pull up and down to the point of pain extending more each night or time. Also as others have said, walk the walls. For me scrubbing floors and the rope worked wonders. any other questions just ask. Stretch... even tho it hurts. No pain, no gain

in my case I was sent to an ocupational therapist by my oncologist and insurance paid for it all. I did a series of massages and stretches for the first 2 or so sessions. After that I was given more sessions with stretches and excercises and after a few weeks I was soooo much better. You can ask for help, it's ok and your doctors will work woth you to get the therapist you need. I did do the stretches after surgery but I still had a lot of tightness in both arms. I did a bi lateral. Good Luck and God Bless- C

same thing happened here. believe it or not, washing walls helped quite a bit. I started to wash from the bottom up and only as far as my arms allowed w/ much improvement everyday. today my arms work better than before.
best wishes