Posture Changes After Breast Cancer Surgery: What Patients Should Know
A ProVital Physiotherapy Guide
Have you noticed that your shoulders sit differently after breast cancer surgery?
Perhaps you find yourself keeping one arm close to your body, rounding your shoulders forward or avoiding certain movements because of a pulling sensation around your chest.
Posture and movement can change after breast cancer surgery for several reasons. Understanding what contributes to the problem is more useful than simply trying to force yourself to stand straight.
Why might posture change after breast cancer surgery? There is no single posture pattern that develops in every patient. Several factors may contribute.
1. Protecting the surgical area
After surgery, it is natural to avoid movements that feel uncomfortable. You may keep your arm close to your body or move your shoulder less than before. Prolonged movement restriction, however, may contribute to stiffness.
2. Tightness around the chest and armpit
Healing tissues, scar sensitivity and changes following surgery may cause a pulling sensation when raising the arm. Some patients develop axillary web syndrome, which can produce a tight, cord-like structure beneath the skin and restrict shoulder movement.
3. Reduced shoulder mobility and strength
When shoulder movement is limited, you may start using your trunk or other parts of your body to compensate. Fatigue and reduced activity during treatment can also affect general conditioning.
These changes are not simply a matter of poor posture. Pain, mobility, strength, healing and confidence with movement all need to be considered.
Does rounded shoulder posture mean something is wrong?
Not necessarily.
A particular shoulder position does not automatically indicate damage. What matters is whether it is associated with discomfort, restricted movement or difficulty performing daily activities.
For example, if you cannot comfortably raise your arm to reach a shelf, the main issue may be restricted shoulder mobility rather than the appearance of your posture alone. A physiotherapy assessment can help identify the factors contributing to your symptoms.
How can physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy focuses on improving comfortable movement and function rather than simply correcting how someone looks when standing.
Depending on the assessment, rehabilitation may include:
* Restoring shoulder movement
* Improving upper-body mobility
* Building strength: Progressive strengthening
* Practising everyday movements
* Understanding posture
The programme should match the patient’s recovery stage and goals.
After breast cancer surgery, the goal is not to force your body into a textbook posture. It is to help you move comfortably, regain useful shoulder function and return to activities that matter in daily life.
For some patients, this means reaching overhead again. For others, it means dressing independently or feeling less hesitant about using the affected arm.
At ProVital Physiotherapy Centre, we believe rehabilitation should start with listening to the patient’s concerns and understanding how those concerns affect everyday life. If post-surgical tightness, shoulder stiffness or difficulty moving your arm is affecting your daily activities, speak to our physio team about whether physiotherapy is suitable for you.
References
Davies, C., Levenhagen, K., Ryans, K., Perdomo, M., & Gilchrist, L. (2020). Interventions for breast cancer-related lymphedema: Clinical practice guideline from the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy of APTA. Physical Therapy, 100(7), 1163–1179. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzaa087
Campbell, K. L., Winters-Stone, K. M., Wiskemann, J., May, A. M., Schwartz, A. L., Courneya, K. S., Zucker, D. S., Matthews, C. E., Ligibel, J. A., Gerber, L. H., Morris, G. S., Patel, A. V., Hue, T., Perna, F. M., & Schmitz, K. H. (2019). Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors: Consensus statement from international multidisciplinary roundtable. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(11), 2375–2390. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002116
