Help! Does anybody have any tips on getting rid of cording. I developed a cord pretty quickly after the surgery, not sure exactly when but it was there when I saw the surgeon 10 days after the surgery. I have been doing the “walking up the wall” exercise religously and have had 8 sessions with the physio but it just won’t shift. My physio and breast care nurse have no idea why and what else we can do. Any ideas please? Thanks
Hello,
I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your question as I’ve been lucky enough not to have cording, but hopefully by BUMPing you post up the lsit someone will spot it and reply soon.
Hi
I have had cording on & off since my surgery in March. This might sound slightly mad but I find if I lie flat & put my arm as far back as I can - sort of past my ear & back it really helps. I think stretching it as much as you can helps it. I also massage it in the shower as the warmth seems to help. If it is any consolation I am sort of used to it now and it doesn’t bother me.
Hope that helps
S x
I had severe cording and the exercise that REALLY helped me was number six in the BCC booklet on exercise (may I say how much I grew to HATE that woman who is pictured with her arms waving above her head in the booklet) http://www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/treatment-side-effects/getting-fitter-feeling-stronger-leaflet-exercises-after-surgery-bcc6
I did this exercise in my kitchen facing the clock with a second hand and held the top position for thirty full seconds before bringing my arm back down. At first I could barely do it, but after about three months I could do it easily and the cording had eased. It was not until I did the “long hold” that I got any relief. Although my surgeon tried to talk me into “breaking” the cord by flinging my arm over my head very quickly, I could not inflict such pain on myself, and I have since read that “breaking” the cord is not a good idea, because of the (unproven) link between cording and lymphoedema.
Southpool’s exercise, which is like one they gave me for my radiotherapy, would also probaby be a good one.
Good luck.
Thank you for your replies and advice. I will keep persisting with the exercises and self massage, though I will avoid getting it “snapped” cause I certainly don’t want to get lympodema!
sorry, double posted!
I am a PT myself, and developed (to my mind mild/moderate) cording by about ten days after my lumpectomy and axillary node dissection Nov 23, even though, or maybe BECAUSE (?) I had worked hard on my ROM exercises and had fair range. I then went on to have total Mx on Dec 12, and had to start again with the exercises as now my chest wall is tight too!
I called a colleague in the lymphodema clinic to make sure I was doing the right things, and according to her, long, slow, sustained stretches is definitely the way to go.
She suggested lying on the floor is the best position as it stabilises the trunk, and I do “snow angels”, and also exercises with a rod or pole. Have your hands at varying distances apart on the pole, and find which movements take you into that stretch. DON’T push too far into pain (she says!.. do as I say, not as I do! 
) Your pain level should only go up from the starting point by 1-3 points on the 0-10 scale. Try to hold the stretch min 20 secs and take a few nice deep breaths and relax. If the pain/stretch subsides you can push a little further.
She strongly advised NOT going to see a physio for manual therapy or to “snap” the cording, as this is too aggressive eraly on, her words, and can exacerbate the condition.
Try to exercise in short bursts multiple times in the day. I know its not always practical to lie on the floor!, but too long a session will cause increased pain/stiffness and you go back to square 1.
Hope this helps … it is what I am trying anyway!
Hi morwenna I noticed a mild cording this morning under the breast. Is snow angle good for cording under breast x
Hi,
I have had this since July when someone took blood badly! physio sessions made it much worse and twisted the vein even more, so I am getting the actual vein cut out next month. I simply can’t cope with having one arm shorter than the other any longer (am a musician). If yours is caused by a vein then ask to be referred to a vascular surgeon to get it removed, a corded vein is redundant and no longer has any blood in it. It is going be an hour long op under a local - which is very annoying as it was caused by someone’s negligence and is not as a result of the chemo! It is not even on the same side as my op!!
Hope this info might help you a bit - but yours may be totally different!!
All the best
K M
I would think the Snow Angel will also stretch cording under the breast, but you just have to see which movements feel tight, and concentrate on those movements as exercise.
This is not really an area I have had much experience in as a physio, but I have a feeling we are all going to become experts before we are through!! :o
Sorry to hear that I believe it can be quite painful. I didn’t push myself too much with the exercises, I did the early stages for well over 3 weeks, to gain strength rather than gain reach, I found once I had the strength the wall walking exercise easy to do. I heard you shouldn’t raise your arms above your head too often, but I needed to stretch my lower arm but found it tight. My son got me a squidgy ball to use, I did this every evening whilst watching tv, and also while laying in bed. It really helped to stretch the lower arm. I’ve just had mastectomy so will have to redo all my exercises from scratch, and I will definately do what I did before after my lumpectomy.
Good luck Maggie x