According to recent studies, only 1-2% of cancer survivors are referred to any type of therapy services post-treatment. This includes speech, occupational, and physical therapy. Out of the 18 million cancer survivors in the US, how many do you think report some sort of functional impairment associated with their cancer or cancer treatment? The answer… 80 – 90%!
For anyone reading this, the likelihood that you know someone diagnosed with some form of cancer is high. If this is the case, then you also probably know that cancer, and cancer treatment, can cause many physical problems throughout the progression of the disease and during aggressive treatments.
These problems can include pain, muscle weakness, numbness in hands or feet, swelling, balance deficits, and difficulty with walking or transfers. Thankfully, physical therapy can be used as a natural way to help manage almost all of these symptoms.
The Movement Experts
As you might guess, getting through each day while dealing with the complications that come from cancer or cancer treatment can be overwhelming. This is where physical therapists step into a very important role of the recovery or maintenance process.
As movement experts, physical therapists create individualized plans to help patients decrease their pain and fatigue while improving how well they get through each day. Depending on which part of the cancer treatment journey a patient is on, physical therapists are able to tailor their treatment to individualize it for every patient they work with.
Treatments can include hands on treatment to improve scar tissue mobility and manage pain, lymphatic drainage to decrease swelling, education on energy preservation strategies, and therapeutic exercise to improve strength, range of motion, and activity tolerance.
Physical therapists know that very involved cancer treatments can take more than just a physical toll. They understand that many times the situation can feel overwhelming. For this reason, it is important to work with a physical therapist who takes the time to listen and meet you exactly where you are to find the best treatment plan for you.
The good news is that physical therapists can help cancer survivors get back to living the life they once knew. If you or someone you know struggles to get through the day even after cancer treatment has finished, consider setting up an appointment with a physical therapist to see how we may be able to help you feel better and get back to the things you love.