Cancer rehabilitation is an integral part of your cancer treatments to make you feel better and improve your quality of life before, during, and after your diagnosis
Cancer rehabilitation is not just for people with breast cancer or lymphedema. The aim is to treat the many side effects or co-morbidities that are present with cancer diagnosis. Our specially trained cancer rehabilitation staff includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists.
The most common conditions affecting cancer patients are:
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Medication side effects
- Difficulty with activities of daily living
- Difficulty raising arm or positioning to receive radiation treatment
Physical and Occupational Therapy will address:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Decreased range of motion or strength due to soft tissue restrictions
- Functional training for activities of daily living such as dressing, getting into and out of bed, getting up from a chair, walking, etc.
- Balance training to reduce falls
- Fatigue management and exercise
- Education on exercise programs
- Safe return to your prior lifestyle
Speech therapy will address:
- Any post-radiation or post-surgical voice changes
- Swallowing difficulties
Cancer Survivorship
Cancer survivorship is treatment focused on rehabilitation after medical treatments are completed.
Recommendations following treatment include:
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week)
- Patients who complete 3-5 hours of exercise per week have higher 10 year survival rates compared to those who do not exercise.
- Monitoring for secondary problems that can arise months to years later
- Lymphedema
- Radiation skin changes resulting in pain or limited mobility
- Ongoing fatigue
- Safe return to pre-diagnosis activities