Early physiotherapy after surgery for breast cancer can reduce the incidence of lymphoedema in the following 12 months.

Question: Does an early physiotherapy program reduce the incidence of lymphoedema in women after surgery for breast cancer? Design: Randomised, controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment. Setting: A hospital in Spain. Participants: Women after unilateral breast cancer surgery with axillary lymph node dissection. Bilateral breast cancer, surgery without axillary lymph node dissection, and systemic disease were exclusion criteria. Randomisation of 120 participants allocated 60 to the early physiotherapy and education group, and 60 to an education group. Interventions: Both groups received a physiotherapistled education program about lymphoedema and strategies for prevention. In addition, the early physiotherapy group received manual lymph drainage (a gentle massage technique to improve lymph circulation), massage of the scar, stretching exercises for the shoulder muscles, and active and active-assisted shoulder exercises, including proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns without resistance. Both groups started their intervention about 5 days after surgery and received treatment 3 days a week for 3 weeks. In addition, the early physiotherapy group completed Early physiotherapy after surgery for breast cancer can reduce the incidence of lymphoedema in the following 12 months