Arm Exercises Following Surgery

After surgery for breast cancer, shoulder and arm exercises can help you regain the movement and function you had before surgery. You shouldn’t feel pain when doing the exercises. However, a stretching or pulling sensation is normal. If you have any concerns about your range of movement or level of discomfort while doing these exercises, speak to your surgeon, breast care nurse or physiotherapist.

If you have had any type of breast reconstruction, ask your surgeon, breast care nurse or a physiotherapist which exercises they recommend.

The types of activities you can do may be limited for some time, depending on the type of reconstruction you’ve had.

In the first few weeks after a reconstruction, you may be advised:
• not to lift your arm above the height of your shoulder.
• not to lift or push with your arm on the side of your surgery.
• not to lift anything heavy.

Why do the exercises?
• These exercises aim to help you regain arm and shoulder movement after surgery for breast cancer.
• They have been devised with the help of breast surgeons, breast care nurses and physiotherapists.
The exercises are suitable for people who have had:
• breast surgery.
• lymph node removal.
• radiotherapy.
These exercises can help:
• get back the range of movement and function you had before surgery.
• improve symptoms of tight scars and cording – when you feel as if you have a tight cord running from the armpit to your elbow in your affected arm, or sometimes down the whole length of the arm.
• prevent long-term problems with arm and shoulder movement, posture and stiffness.
• reduce the risk of lymphoedema – swelling caused by a build-up of lymph fluid.
• If you are worried about any of these, or have symptoms of cording, speak to your breast care nurse.

When should I start the exercises?
• Start the exercises as soon as you can, ideally the day after your surgery.
• In the first week after your surgery, you can start the warm-up and basic exercises.
• In the second week, you can do the more advanced exercises as well (if you have removable stitches or a drain, wait until these have been removed).
• These timings are meant as a guideline only. Complete the exercises at your own pace.

How much exercise should I do?
• You should do the exercises every day.
• Do each exercise 5 times before you move on to the next one.
• Try to do the exercise 3 times a day – in the morning, around midday and in the evening.
• Don’t worry if you can’t manage to do all the exercises every times. For example, during radiotherapy you may find the exercises more difficult.
• Do as much as you feel able to at a pace you’re comfortable with.

How hard are the exercises?
• The more you do the exercises, the easier they should become.

How long should I do the exercises for?
• Muscles seize up very quickly if they’re not used, so it’s important to do these exercises as part of your daily routine.
• Arm stiffness or weakness can occur long after surgery and following radiotherapy.
• If you have just had surgery, keep doing the exercises until you have got back the range of movement you had before your operation. Continue doing the exercises if you’re going on to have radiotherapy as they will help your shoulder flexibility.
• If you have had radiotherapy, it’s a good idea to do the exercises for as long as you are still experiencing tightness and stiffness, and you may want to continue doing them after this.
• Talk to your breast care nurse or physiotherapist if you are not sure how long to keep up the exercise programme or if you have any concerns about your recovery after surgery.

Reasons to stop exercising
Stop doing the exercises and speak to your surgeon or breast care nurse if you have:
• a seroma (a collection of fluid under the arm or in the breast or chest wall).
• wound infection or healing problems.
• pain that gets worse during these exercises, or continues once you have finished them.
• It’s important to start the exercises again once these issues have been resolved and your surgeon or breast care nurse says it’s safe to do so.

First week after surgery
Do the warm-up, basic exercises and cool-down.

Second week and beyond.
Do the warm-up, basic and more advanced exercises, and cool-down.
These timings are meant as a guide, and you should complete the exercises at your own pace.
You can start the exercises the day after your surgery.
Do each exercise 5 times before you move on to the next one.

You will have received a leaflet from the ward on exercises after breast surgery. If not click on the link below to view.

Click here to download PDF exercises after breast surgery (Breast Cancer Care)

If you have any difficulties with the exercises or would like help or advice with arm movements, please contact your hospital team

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