EXERCISE FOR THE PATIENT AFTER BREAST CANCER SURGERY

OBJECTIVE: To describe how mobilization stretches and exercise decrease shoulder impairments, a complication related to breast cancer surgery, thus improving quality of life. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Medline, Medline-Ovid. CONCLUSION: Mobilization stretches and exercises after breast surgery are an effective way to improve shoulder range of motion and decrease chest tightness and pain. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses who provide care to breast cancer patients need to teach and encourage patients to exercise postoperatively to eliminate or minimize the side effects of surgery.