Many women find they have a very stiff or frozen shoulder about one moth after breast surgery. This has less to do with the actual breast surgery than the lymph node dissection. When lymph nodes are removed from under the armpit, it is very common for this area to be tender. Your normal reaction is to keep your arm still so you will not feel pain. But, by not moving your arm, you are allowing your arm and shoulder muscles to weaken and your tendons and ligaments to tighten. In time, you may find that you can barely lift you arm up. An immobile arm can lead to frozen shoulder—an extremely painful condition in which the arm joint becomes locked. The good news is that it can be prevented, and if necessary reversed. If you feel soreness under the armpit, start with gentle exercises—try climbing your fingers up the wall or circling your arms. Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do for this type of injury because it does not put any weight on the arm. The YWCA offers a wonderful program called ENCORE for women who have had breast cancer surgery. The program employs specific exercises in a pool to help women recovery range of motion and rebuild strength. |
