Good morning
I’ve recently had breast conserving surgery (march 18th) and then cavity shave and full lymph node clearance (29th April) and I’m wonderinghow long i need to wait until I can go back to my step class. It’s quite fast paced and lots of bouncing and jumping about, so I don’t want to do anything to hinder my recovery. Any advice of what exercise I could be doing would be gratefully received, as I want to get my body prepared for chemo in a few weeks. Many thanks.
Hi, hope youre recovering well from surgery. I had chemo first, then surgery - but found this book really helpful
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
From experience things to be careful of - it’s easy to overstretch your arm / shoulder and affected side when you’te moving and really getting into something . You may not feel it until one or two days later.
Be kind to yourself - your stamina balance and coordination may not be quite as good as you would expect them to be . I would speak to your instructor who may have some suggestions as they should be used to helping people to recover from injuries and surgery . Xx
I was advised by physio department 8 weeks before going back to gym after the axillary node clearance.
There’s no way I could contemplate a gym session right now (2.5 weeks after surgery). Even going over bumps on the road as a car passenger hurts right now!
Yes I think I’m being too ambitious and will stick to taking walks. Thank you for getting back to me. I shall give myself time to fully recover before heading back.
Hi philippa74,
Thanks for posting.
You should usually be able to return to most of your normal activities within a few weeks of your operation. However, this will vary from person to person and will depend on the type of surgery you’ve had, how well you recover and your fitness level before surgery. It is important to return to any usual exercise routines after surgery gradually and slowly build yourself up first. Your wound can take 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal, so it is best to take things gently to begin with.
It helps to first do the arm exercises you were told to do after surgery, to help you regain and maintain your arm and shoulder movement. Keep doing the exercises until you’ve got back the range of movement you had before your operation. Continue doing the exercises if you’re going to have radiotherapy, as they will help your shoulder flexibility and this will also help for when you return to your step class.
To get a better idea of when you can return to your exercise regimes and about increasing your physical activity, we suggest you speak with your treatment team or breast care nurse, as they will know more about your individual situation.
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