Impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions 6 and 12 months after breast cancer operation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impairments of upper body and limbs, activity limitations and participation restrictions 6 and 12 months after operation for breast cancer and to examine the impact of impairments on activity limitations.\ud \ud DESIGN: A prospective survey 6 and 12 months after operation.\ud \ud PATIENTS: Ninety-six breast cancer patients.\ud \ud METHODS: A questionnaire for assessing the impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions was developed.\ud \ud RESULTS: The most common impairments 6 months after operation were breast and axilla scar tightness, axilla oedema and neck-shoulder pain. At 12-month follow-up the breast scar tightness (p=0.008) and axilla o…

Postoperative education concerning the use of the upper limb, and exercise and treatment of the upper limb: cross-sectional survey of 105 breast cancer patients.

In this retrospective survey we investigated the recall of breast cancer patients (n=105) 6 months after the operation concerning postoperative instructions on exercises for shoulder mobility, and instructions for oedema prevention and treatment, upper limb strength training and the use of the upper limb in daily activities. Patients also described the content in their own words and ranked the instructors who had mostly given this education. Operation type and length of hospital stay did not have any effect on the education recalled, but the age of the respondent had some effect (r=−0.23, p<0.05). The Wilcoxon signed ranks test showed that the most commonly reported item was instructions on…

Efficacy of Physical Therapy Methods and Exercise After a Breast Cancer Operation: A Systematic Review