Hi folks
I had a right mastectomy just under 6 weeks ago and seem to now have decent movement in my underarm area, but am being restricted by the tendons all down the inside of the arm having shortened, so it seems. I can’t straightened my elbow out fully without pain all the way down. I’m trying to gently stretch it throughout the day, but wondered if anyone else had this or has any advice?
Thanks
flora xx
Hi Flora, hope you’re doing OK today.
This sounds like cording to me. It’s very common and is something to do with the lymph fluid slowing down I think! did you have lymph nodes out as well?
I had it as well and you’re doing the right thing in gently stretching your arm. It should go away by itself but if I was you and it is carrying on any longer then I would get referred to a physio and they’ll sort it out for you. I did read a thread on here ages ago about a lady that popped hers, she basically just stretched her arm until it popped but I think that’s a bit drastic and would be painful as well so I would recommend easy does it for now!
Hope that helps,
Take care
Veggie
D’you know, I wondered whether it was cording, but couldn’t easily find out what cording exactly was. I am worried about popping it - you can see it when the elbow is at full stretch! I would hate to do that to it, so will carry on with the stretching until my next meeting with the BCN nurse and then see how it is. If it gets any worse in between, I’ll arrange to see her though.
Thanks so much for that.
Flora xx
Edited to add: yes, had all the lymph nodes out.
Hi Flora,sounds like cording to me too, I was told that the bcn would come round and “pop” mine if that occurred. Eeeeewwwww. Plenty of gentle stretching exercises should help, the one that I was told was the most use was to stand in front of a door,stretch up your good arm then “walk” up your fingers of bad arm stretching a bit more each time, do this at least 4x a day, I only had SNB but didn’t end up with tight cording,was a slave to my exercises as I didn’t like the sound of being popped ! Good luck.
Sandra x
Hi Flora - I had cording, with pain down the inside of my arm. It’s now 10 weeks since my mx and I have nearly got back all movement. Have gone backwarsd a little as I’m having rads and that has made it tight again, but no pain. I spoke to my bcn about 6 weeks post op and got a physio appt. It was worth going as she gave me some slightly different exercises to do. But the one that Sandra describes is good too.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Clare