Stretches post-LND

It might be something called cording, which can happen as a result of a lymphadenectomy. But you may want to call your surgeon and let him/her know you're experiencing discomfort in your armpit. Your surgeon may also want to to write you a script for physical therapy — but you need to see someone experienced in dealing with patients who are at risk for lymphedema.

There are two simple stretches you can do to loosen up some of those muscles:

Stretch 1

You can do this one sitting, standing, or lying down.

1.  Put the fingertips of your right hand on your right shoulder.

2.  Slowly walk up your shoulder, neck, ear, etc., using your fingers. Stop when it starts to hurt and them walk back down again. The goal is to eventually be able to "walk" over the top of your head until you can touch the top of your left ear.

3.  Start with 2-3 reps and gradually increase to 5-6. Do it once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once when you go to sleep. You can increase the number of times you do it as you get better. Most important is to not overdo it.

 

Stretch 2

This one is done in the shower.

1.  Face the shower wall and stand about 12-18 inches from it.

2.  Walk with your right hand up the shower wall. Go as high as you can and then walk back down again. Gradually increase the height that you "walk". Repeat about 3-5 times.

Your goal is to gradually be able to lift your right arm as high as your left one.

 

The added bonus with the is you can also incorporate some lymph massage into this exercise. The soap make your skin nice and slippery.

1.  Get your left had soapy. Walk up the shower wall with your right hand as high as you can.

2.  Hold your right hand up and place your left hand on your right wrist.

3.  Gently stroke your left hand up your right arm toward your shoulder. Pretend you're putting moisturizer on. 🙂 Stroke the upper and lower parts of your arm, starting at the wrist each time When you're ready, gently extend the stroking motions down past your armpit. You want to encourage the lymph fluids to move from your wrist up past your shoulder toward your torso.

It might be something called cording, which can happen as a result of a lymphadenectomy. But you may want to call your surgeon and let him/her know you're experiencing discomfort in your armpit. Your surgeon may also want to to write you a script for physical therapy — but you need to see someone experienced in dealing with patients who are at risk for lymphedema.

There are two simple stretches you can do to loosen up some of those muscles:

Stretch 1

You can do this one sitting, standing, or lying down.

1.  Put the fingertips of your right hand on your right shoulder.

2.  Slowly walk up your shoulder, neck, ear, etc., using your fingers. Stop when it starts to hurt and them walk back down again. The goal is to eventually be able to "walk" over the top of your head until you can touch the top of your left ear.

3.  Start with 2-3 reps and gradually increase to 5-6. Do it once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once when you go to sleep. You can increase the number of times you do it as you get better. Most important is to not overdo it.

 

Stretch 2

This one is done in the shower.

1.  Face the shower wall and stand about 12-18 inches from it.

2.  Walk with your right hand up the shower wall. Go as high as you can and then walk back down again. Gradually increase the height that you "walk". Repeat about 3-5 times.

Your goal is to gradually be able to lift your right arm as high as your left one.

 

The added bonus with the is you can also incorporate some lymph massage into this exercise. The soap make your skin nice and slippery.

1.  Get your left had soapy. Walk up the shower wall with your right hand as high as you can.

2.  Hold your right hand up and place your left hand on your right wrist.

3.  Gently stroke your left hand up your right arm toward your shoulder. Pretend you're putting moisturizer on. 🙂 Stroke the upper and lower parts of your arm, starting at the wrist each time When you're ready, gently extend the stroking motions down past your armpit. You want to encourage the lymph fluids to move from your wrist up past your shoulder toward your torso.

It might be something called cording, which can happen as a result of a lymphadenectomy. But you may want to call your surgeon and let him/her know you're experiencing discomfort in your armpit. Your surgeon may also want to to write you a script for physical therapy — but you need to see someone experienced in dealing with patients who are at risk for lymphedema.

There are two simple stretches you can do to loosen up some of those muscles:

Stretch 1

You can do this one sitting, standing, or lying down.

1.  Put the fingertips of your right hand on your right shoulder.

2.  Slowly walk up your shoulder, neck, ear, etc., using your fingers. Stop when it starts to hurt and them walk back down again. The goal is to eventually be able to "walk" over the top of your head until you can touch the top of your left ear.

3.  Start with 2-3 reps and gradually increase to 5-6. Do it once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once when you go to sleep. You can increase the number of times you do it as you get better. Most important is to not overdo it.

 

Stretch 2

This one is done in the shower.

1.  Face the shower wall and stand about 12-18 inches from it.

2.  Walk with your right hand up the shower wall. Go as high as you can and then walk back down again. Gradually increase the height that you "walk". Repeat about 3-5 times.

Your goal is to gradually be able to lift your right arm as high as your left one.

 

The added bonus with the is you can also incorporate some lymph massage into this exercise. The soap make your skin nice and slippery.

1.  Get your left had soapy. Walk up the shower wall with your right hand as high as you can.

2.  Hold your right hand up and place your left hand on your right wrist.

3.  Gently stroke your left hand up your right arm toward your shoulder. Pretend you're putting moisturizer on. 🙂 Stroke the upper and lower parts of your arm, starting at the wrist each time When you're ready, gently extend the stroking motions down past your armpit. You want to encourage the lymph fluids to move from your wrist up past your shoulder toward your torso.

12 days might be a bit early to start your stretches.  You want to make sure you incision is completely healed first.  I did the "wall walk" as described for the shower but just not in the shower.  Do the exercises slowly.  Once you start feeling pain it's time to stop the stretch, you don't want to tear anything, just stretch it a little.  If you can make an inch of two gain daily that's enough. 

 

"Wall Walk"  Stand at a right angle to a flat wall.  Place you forearm on the wall, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, like a spider crawling up the wall.  Repeat 2-3 times or as often as you feel able.  Do not over stretch.  Do this 3-4 time a day.

12 days might be a bit early to start your stretches.  You want to make sure you incision is completely healed first.  I did the "wall walk" as described for the shower but just not in the shower.  Do the exercises slowly.  Once you start feeling pain it's time to stop the stretch, you don't want to tear anything, just stretch it a little.  If you can make an inch of two gain daily that's enough. 

 

"Wall Walk"  Stand at a right angle to a flat wall.  Place you forearm on the wall, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, like a spider crawling up the wall.  Repeat 2-3 times or as often as you feel able.  Do not over stretch.  Do this 3-4 time a day.

12 days might be a bit early to start your stretches.  You want to make sure you incision is completely healed first.  I did the "wall walk" as described for the shower but just not in the shower.  Do the exercises slowly.  Once you start feeling pain it's time to stop the stretch, you don't want to tear anything, just stretch it a little.  If you can make an inch of two gain daily that's enough. 

 

"Wall Walk"  Stand at a right angle to a flat wall.  Place you forearm on the wall, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, like a spider crawling up the wall.  Repeat 2-3 times or as often as you feel able.  Do not over stretch.  Do this 3-4 time a day.

Washoegal is right — do not overstretch. Stop as soon as you feel any discomfort.

I actually did the shoulder walk the day I got home from surgery. Of course I didn't even make it to my left ear lobe (my lymphadenectomy was done on my left arm pit). But, by the time I got my drain removed I was able to make it to the top of my head.

Aside from the obvious physical benefit the stretches give you, they also give you something to measure your recovery by.

Washoegal is right — do not overstretch. Stop as soon as you feel any discomfort.

I actually did the shoulder walk the day I got home from surgery. Of course I didn't even make it to my left ear lobe (my lymphadenectomy was done on my left arm pit). But, by the time I got my drain removed I was able to make it to the top of my head.

Aside from the obvious physical benefit the stretches give you, they also give you something to measure your recovery by.

Washoegal is right — do not overstretch. Stop as soon as you feel any discomfort.

I actually did the shoulder walk the day I got home from surgery. Of course I didn't even make it to my left ear lobe (my lymphadenectomy was done on my left arm pit). But, by the time I got my drain removed I was able to make it to the top of my head.

Aside from the obvious physical benefit the stretches give you, they also give you something to measure your recovery by.

I had the same thing….right LND…and the physio came to see me on day 2 post surgery….as soon as my arm came down from the “sling” thingy it was in -for drainage- when I woke up. I swore at her a LOT but mobility was her goal and I have to thank her in retrospect. I wouldn’t wait…I would start sooner rather than later. The scar tissue will be quite tight once it’s finished forming so you want to gently stretch it as much as you can while it’s still just healing. I had quite a big surgery but was back to normal function within about 8 months I think.

I was given the “wall walks” someone else mentioned (10 years later I still have the pencil marks on the wall where we measured how much further up I could go each day) and also one where I laid on my back, holding a broom handle horizontally like you’re lifting a weight (something like that, but it has to be lightweight) and you raise both arms back over your head til the broom handle and your arms are lying on the floor/bed. Sounds easy but it took me months to get it right and to start with, your left arm does most of the work…..just keep your right arm on the handle to keep that stretch happening.

If you can find a specialist physiotherapist that would be my suggestion. I didn’t have radiation so as soon as I could, my physio had me start swimming freestyle…..it loosens the muscles and promotes movement but the pressure of the water also works to prevent lymphoedema.

It’s slow and not the nicest feeling in the world to know you’re pulling on a surgical scar, but keep moving and stretching as much as you can. I don’t have any restricted movement now and actually about 50%-60% of the post-surgical numbness has also receded over the years.

Good luck

AlisonC
Stage IIIB
NED since 2001

I had the same thing….right LND…and the physio came to see me on day 2 post surgery….as soon as my arm came down from the “sling” thingy it was in -for drainage- when I woke up. I swore at her a LOT but mobility was her goal and I have to thank her in retrospect. I wouldn’t wait…I would start sooner rather than later. The scar tissue will be quite tight once it’s finished forming so you want to gently stretch it as much as you can while it’s still just healing. I had quite a big surgery but was back to normal function within about 8 months I think.

I was given the “wall walks” someone else mentioned (10 years later I still have the pencil marks on the wall where we measured how much further up I could go each day) and also one where I laid on my back, holding a broom handle horizontally like you’re lifting a weight (something like that, but it has to be lightweight) and you raise both arms back over your head til the broom handle and your arms are lying on the floor/bed. Sounds easy but it took me months to get it right and to start with, your left arm does most of the work…..just keep your right arm on the handle to keep that stretch happening.

If you can find a specialist physiotherapist that would be my suggestion. I didn’t have radiation so as soon as I could, my physio had me start swimming freestyle…..it loosens the muscles and promotes movement but the pressure of the water also works to prevent lymphoedema.

It’s slow and not the nicest feeling in the world to know you’re pulling on a surgical scar, but keep moving and stretching as much as you can. I don’t have any restricted movement now and actually about 50%-60% of the post-surgical numbness has also receded over the years.

Good luck

AlisonC
Stage IIIB
NED since 2001

I had the same thing….right LND…and the physio came to see me on day 2 post surgery….as soon as my arm came down from the “sling” thingy it was in -for drainage- when I woke up. I swore at her a LOT but mobility was her goal and I have to thank her in retrospect. I wouldn’t wait…I would start sooner rather than later. The scar tissue will be quite tight once it’s finished forming so you want to gently stretch it as much as you can while it’s still just healing. I had quite a big surgery but was back to normal function within about 8 months I think.

I was given the “wall walks” someone else mentioned (10 years later I still have the pencil marks on the wall where we measured how much further up I could go each day) and also one where I laid on my back, holding a broom handle horizontally like you’re lifting a weight (something like that, but it has to be lightweight) and you raise both arms back over your head til the broom handle and your arms are lying on the floor/bed. Sounds easy but it took me months to get it right and to start with, your left arm does most of the work…..just keep your right arm on the handle to keep that stretch happening.

If you can find a specialist physiotherapist that would be my suggestion. I didn’t have radiation so as soon as I could, my physio had me start swimming freestyle…..it loosens the muscles and promotes movement but the pressure of the water also works to prevent lymphoedema.

It’s slow and not the nicest feeling in the world to know you’re pulling on a surgical scar, but keep moving and stretching as much as you can. I don’t have any restricted movement now and actually about 50%-60% of the post-surgical numbness has also receded over the years.

Good luck

AlisonC
Stage IIIB
NED since 2001