Kinesiotaping for Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema

Lymphedema, a complication resulting after breast cancer surgery, is caused by the decreased tissue distensibility around joints and the increased weight of extremity. Early symptoms of lymphedema include heaviness in the limb, numbness, tingling sensation and puffiness of the skin. The new techniques of treating cancer, such as sentinel node biopsy and intra-operative radiotherapy, may have significant reduction on the incidence and prevalence of cancer treatment induced lymphedema due to a lesser damage to the delicate lymphatic system. If mastectomy is performed in accordance to advanced surgical procedures, massive lymphedema resembling our patient (Figure 1) is seen rarely. Despite new methods, breast cancer related lymphedema might have physical, psychological, and functional impact, as well as increasing the risk of superficial infection (1). Therefore, post-mastectomy lymphedema treatment is necessary. There are a number of physiotherapeutic methods for reducing edema. Kinesio tape (KT) for lymphatic drainage is a new choice in the field of physical therapy (2). Although the treatment