Physical Therapy: Adhesive Capsulitis & Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Surgery

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I naively thought that once active treatment was done, that was it. In my case, active treatment was surgery and radiation, but there can be much more to recovering from breast cancer than just the active treatment. Because my cancer is ER/PR positive, I am taking hormone blocking medication for ten years. There are a lot of unpleasant side effects that go with it. 

One side effect that had nothing to do with the medication was that my right arm (the surgery side) was incredibly painful after I finished radiation. My raw skin healed, but I couldn't lift my arm without screaming. Sleeping was very difficult. I kept my arm pressed by my side as much as possible because moving it hurt so much. At the same time, I noticed that my right breast was oddly swollen, pitted, and heavy. It felt uncomfortable at all times, much like the feeling of being engorged in the early days of breast feeding. Eventually, I received two diagnoses: adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder syndrome) and lymphedema. Both are linked to breast cancer treatment. 

I started physical therapy for both conditions last fall. After many months of going to appointments and doing daily exercises at home, my therapist felt I was ready to stop the in-person treatments in May and just continue the home therapies. I was thrilled. 

Physical Therapy (affiliate link)

It has been 14 months since my breast cancer surgery and almost a year since I finished radiation. My shoulder is significantly better. I don't have quite the range of motion that I used to, but it is no longer painful and I can do all daily activities without help or modifications. The lymphedema is not better; my PT warned me at diagnosis that it could be a lifelong condition. That's frustrating, but now I know how to treat it and get temporary relief when it is bothering me.