Exercises After Breast Surgery (The James)

Exercises After Breast Surgery (The James)

 

After you have had breast surgery, ask your doctor when it is okay for you to begin the gentle stretches and exercises in this handout. Your doctor may tell you not to raise your arm above the level of your heart until after your drainage tubes are removed. 

 

Abdominal Breathing Exercises - Steps to Follow:

  1. Get comfortable and relax your neck and shoulders. You can sit or lie down. Place one hand on your upper chest and place the other hand on your belly button. Use your hands to feel the movements as you breathe in and out.
  2. Take a deep breath in through your nose and feel the hand on your stomach move out. Do not let your shoulders move up. The hand on your chest should not move.
  3. Breathe out slow and gentle through your mouth. Pucker your lips as if you were going to whistle or blow out a candle. The hand on your stomach should move in as you breathe out. Breathe out as long as you can until all the air is gone.
  4. To help keep the lymphatic system moving well, practice two breaths every hour using the steps for abdominal breathing exercises.

 

Neck Rotation

  • Turn your head slowly to the right as you inhale and count to five. Return to center as you exhale. Repeat to the left. 
  • Repeat _____ times. 

 

Head Tilt

  • Gently move your right ear toward your right shoulder, hold for 5 seconds, and then slowly bring your head back to the center. Repeat on other side.
  • Repeat _____ times. 

 

Shoulder Shrug

  • Lift both shoulders towards your ears as you inhale, exhale and return to relaxed position. Next, pull your shoulders down as far as possible while inhaling, exhale and return to relaxed position. 
  • Repeat _____ times. 

 

Shoulder Rolls

  • Roll your shoulders back making a smooth, continuous circle. 
  • Repeat _____ times. 

 

Shoulder Blade Squeezes

  • Bend elbows to about 90 degrees, keeping them close to your body, pull them back toward the center of your body, trying to squeeze the shoulder blades together.
  • Repeat ____ times.

 

Elbow Bend

  • Bring your hand towards your shoulder, and return arm back to the side.
  • Repeat _____ times.  

 

Turning Arm Out

  • Bend your arm at the elbow keeping it at your side. Move your arm away from the body, turning your palm upward.
  • Repeat ____ times

 

Wrist Mobility

  • Rest your forearm firmly on a tabletop and hang your hand over the edge of the table. Bend your wrist up and down as far as possible. 
  • Repeat _____ times. 

 

Wrist Circles

  •  With your hand in a fist make small circles and try to move only from the wrist. Perform circle motion in both directions. 
  • Repeat _____ times. 

 

 

 

© January 18, 2022. The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

This handout is for informational purposes only. Talk with your doctor or health care team if you have any questions about your care.