I love Pilates as I don’t like sweaty exercise but the stretches make me feel good. I’ve been going since I retired pre cancer. My Pilates teacher told me today that she’s recently completed the Pink Ribbon training specifically for breast cancer patients. Not many tutors in the UK yet but if you scroll down the page you’ll find a link to pay for access to video and zoom sessions.
I’m not getting anything for this just sharing something that might be useful.
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I love that there are support programmes like this now. After my first breast cancer surgery and radiotherapy in 1989 I had no information about how specific exercises could help. Even after my recurrence and a mastectomy/DIEP flap reconstruction in 2020 I didn’t hear about anything either. I was give exercises for my abdomen but nothing for my shoulders.
I understand now how radiation and scar tissue effects the breast/chest and shoulder area and I’m using yoga to work on those areas to see, after all this time, I can improve flexibility and mobility there.
I’d also like to see more about osteopenia due to taking post cancer surgery drugs. I took Letrozole and Exemestane for 5 years and my bone porosity suffered, particularly my spine. I learnt through my own research how certain yoga and pilates poses involving flexion of the spine need to be avoided if you have osteopenia. And as there’s more spine flexion in Pilates I’ve relied more on yoga.
It would be good to see this referenced in this program - obviously it doesn’t affect everyone, but post menopausal women who have taken aromotase inhibitors would then be able to take the appropriate measures if their Dexa scans show significant bone loss.
My Pilates instructor is already running a bone health class for those with osteoporosis and osteopenia so I’ll mention it to them.
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Great post, thanks for sharing. Post surgery and chemotherapy I have started Pilates and can feel the benefits but will check to see if there are any instructors in my area who are part of the Pink Ribbon training.
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