The scientific rehabilitation of breast cancer patients after the surgery is of paramount importance for the rehabilitation of the body and the improvement of the quality of life. The following is a more comprehensive set of rehabilitation training programmes.
I. EMERGENCY RESEARCH TRAINING 1 – 2 WEEKS
The focus of rehabilitation training at this stage is to promote the healing of wounds and prevent muscle atrophy and joint binding, while avoiding excessive activity affecting the recovery of wounds.
1. Post-operative 1-2 days: Fisting and laxing to promote hand circulation of blood, 3 – 5 minutes per exercise, 3 – 4 times per day. 2. Post-operative 3 – 4 days: the movement of wrists and wrists has begun, with a slow upward bending and a downward stretch, in a range appropriate for the absence of pain from wounds, 5 – 10 times each, 3 – 5 groups per day.
3. Post-operative 5 – 7 days: Attempts to stretch elbows can be carried out first with a hand-to-hand support to the side arm, gradually increasing the range of activities to be maintained at 3 – 5 seconds per stretch, 8 – 10 times per group, 3 – 4 groups per day.
4. Post-operative 7 – 14 days: small-scale shoulder activities, such as shrugulation, can be carried out as far up as possible and then slowly down, 10 – 15 times per group, 3 – 4 times per day; and back and back-hand exercise can be performed at the same time, where the range of swings is appropriate to feel a slight stretch of 10 – 15 times per day. II. Post-operative medium-term rehabilitation training (3 – 6 weeks after the surgery) as the wound gradually heals, this stage may gradually increase the intensity and magnitude of the training to restore the normal range of the shoulder and upper limbs.
1. Post-operative 3 – 4 weeks: Wall-crawling exercises with side arms, standing up against the wall, with legs wide with shoulders, with hands around the wall, with fingers slowly climbing up until the feeling of stretching on the shoulder, keeping it down in 3 – 5 seconds, repeating 10 – 15 times, 3 – 4 groups per day.
Post-operative 4 – 5 weeks: a slider can be tried for shoulder stretch training, a slider can be fixed to the high end, hands held at both ends of the slider line, a sidehand pulls down hard, and a side arm stretches up, 8 – 10 times per group, 3 – 5 groups per day. 3. Post-operative 5 – 6 weeks: Increase shoulder rotation exercises, with 10 – 15 rotations forward and then 10 – 15 rotations back, with 3 – 4 groups per day; and a chest expansion exercise with both hands, 10 – 15 per group, 3 – 5 per day. III. Post-operative rehabilitation training (7 weeks – 3 months) The objective of this stage of rehabilitation training is to further enhance upper limb strength and co-ordination and to restore daily life and working capacity.
1. Post-operative 7 – 8 weeks: conduct some simple daily life simulation training, such as brushing of hair, washing of face, brushing of teeth, etc. with the side hand, and gradually increasing mobility proficiency and flexibility.
2. Post-operative 8 – 12 weeks: Some light force training can be initiated, such as the exercise of hand strength with a shaker of 3 – 5 minutes per exercise of 3 – 4 times per day; the exercise of shoulder and arm strength with a small dumb bell, starting with light weight, 8 – 10 times per group, 3 – 5 times per day.
3. Post-operative 12 weeks – 3 months: gradually returning to normal life and work activities, but still need to avoid overwork and overloading. Some softer sports, such as yoga and Tai Chi, are available to further improve body resilience and coordination.
In the course of rehabilitation training, the patient shall be guided by the principle of step-by-step adjustment of the intensity and frequency of the training to his or her recovery. In the event of anomalous conditions such as increased pain during the course of the training and bleeding from the wounds, the training should be stopped immediately and medical attention should be provided in a timely manner. At the same time, maintaining positive optimism is an essential element in the rehabilitation of breast cancer patients.
