Breast cancer surgery recovery gets talked about a lot, but recovery after radiation therapy? Not so much. And that’s a problem, because radiation can bring on additional pain, stiffness, and tightness that catches people off guard – especially in the first few weeks or months
Exercise after breast cancer radiation can help reduce these side effects and improve your quality of life. You don’t have to just accept the tightness and discomfort as your “new normal.”
My name is Kelly, and I am a certified oncology and lymphedema therapist. I specialize in working with patients recovering from breast cancer or those with lymphedema.
In this guide, I am sharing some of my go-to, gentle exercises specifically for after radiation therapy for breast cancer to help ease tightness and gently work towards getting a full range of motion back.
These exercises can be done only if someone is cleared by their doctor first for safety, because everyone has a different radiation (and/or surgery) recovery experience.
These exercises are part of my breast cancer recovery series that covers all stages of healing after surgery. Looking for earlier stages in recovery? Download my free Breast Recovery Roadmap for all 8 phases.
Why You Should Exercise After Treatment for Breast Cancer
Beginning exercise after surgery, when you are cleared by your doctor to do so, can play a significant role in helping someone regain muscle strength, improve movement in their arms and shoulders, and get back to your usual activities. The American Cancer Society recommends exercise to reduce the side effects of breast cancer surgery and radiation.
Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy can cause side effects that people don’t always prepare you for: fatigue, skin irritation, swelling, and sometimes even lymphedema. Starting gentle stretching or an exercise program after your skin is fully healed, and you are cleared by your doctor can be impactful in helping to reduce and manage these side effects.
Exercise Details
In this guide, we are going to go through 4 stretching exercises that focus on improving range of motion and reducing tightness and pain after radiation, plus 2 light strength exercises to help with postural pain that is common from radiation tightness.
All exercises should feel mild – stop if you feel significant pain or strain. They can be done daily as part of your regular routine, as long as you’re cleared by your doctor or breast care nurse first.
These exercises are safe for those who have had other breast cancer treatments, too, such as a mastectomy or lumpectomy. For a more detailed review of the differences between a mastectomy and lumpectomy, see my blog post Lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy: Making Your Decision.
If you would like to follow along with a video of a certified physical therapist modeling these exercises, you can watch the YouTube video linked below.
Equipment Required
- A set of light dumbbells or a small soup can
Stretch Exercises
These stretches are great warm-up exercises that someone can do to help increase mobility and improve arm and shoulder movement.
Side-lying Chest Stretch
Typically, you’ll have only had radiation on one side – this is the side you want to be on top. However, I always suggest doing this stretch on both sides, even if you only had breast surgery on one side. This lets you feel the difference between the two sides and work toward a more even range of motion.
Here’s how to do it:
- Begin lying on your side with your legs stacked on top of each other and your knees bent. You can use a pillow under your head for support if you would like. Your bottom arm is resting under your head.
- Place your top arm behind your head with your elbow bent and pointing forward.
- Slowly bring your elbow up towards the ceiling, opening up the chest, as you allow your elbow to point to the wall behind you, or to the point where you feel a mild stretch.
- As you feel a mild stretch, pause and take a deep breath. Inhale in and as you exhale, allow your body to sink further into the stretch.
- Hold for a few seconds and then gently come back to the starting position.
- Repeat on the same side 3 to 5 times and then switch to the opposite side.
This stretch helps open up your chest wall. Radiation can affect the muscles between your ribs – a difficult area to stretch. This is why it’s important to take that deep breath and feel your rib cage expand, so you can mobilize those muscles that can get irritated and tight.
Ballerina Stretch
This stretch can be done kneeling, sitting, or standing, whichever is most comfortable for you. The focus is going to be on stretching the side of the body, which can be tight after radiation treatment for breast cancer.
- Begin kneeling with your arms above your head.
- Gently stretch your left arm up and over your body
- You can also grab your left wrist with your right hand and gently pull your left wrist over to the side, feeling a mild stretch across the side of the body. Take a deep breath here.
- Next, you will change direction and repeat with your other arm.
- Complete back and forth 3 to 5 times.
Side-bending Neck Stretch
This can be done kneeling, sitting, or standing – whatever feels good to you. We’re focusing on stretching your neck. For some people, radiation extends to the neck area, affecting muscles around there.
- Begin kneeling or sitting in a comfortable position.
- Take your ear and gently bring it down towards your shoulder, moving it away from the radiated side. You can also take your hand and gently give light traction, helping stretch your neck further to the side.
- Someone may also gently turn their head to look down towards their hip, feeling more of a stretch in the back of the neck rather than the side.
- Hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds, and as you become more comfortable with stretching, you can hold for closer to 20-30 seconds.
If someone has just completed their breast cancer treatment, they will want to start with 0-3 week exercises.
Sleeper Stretch (Rotator Cuff Stretch)
This last stretch helps your rotator cuff muscles, which can be affected by radiation and may cause long-term issues if they aren’t addressed.
- Begin lying on the side that was radiated, or the side that you want to work on. Your bottom arm should be straight out in front of you with your shoulder at 90 degrees and your elbow bent so your hand is pointing up towards the ceiling.
- Stay on your side and use your top hand to very gently guide your arm down towards the ground. This should not be an intense movement.
- Start by holding for 3-5 seconds and gradually work up to 20-30 seconds over time.
- Repeat 2-3 times.
Strength Exercises
Now we’ll move into 2 light strength exercises. For more basic exercises, or if you’re only within the first few weeks of recovery, make sure to check out the other exercise guides in my breast cancer recovery series.
Rotator Cuff External Rotation
This is a great strength exercise to do over time for long-term shoulder health. It’s important to start with lightweight or no weight. I always start my patients with no weight and max out at 1lb.
- Begin lying on your side with your legs stacked on top of each other and your knees bent. You can take a soft towel to place under your top arm to pin it to your side. Your bottom arm is resting under your head.
- Your top arm should be bent at the elbow, remaining pinned at your side.
- Slowly rotate your forearm up toward the ceiling, and then come back down. These are very small movements that should be slow and controlled.
- Complete 10-15 reps to begin, and over time, you can gradually increase to 15-20 reps.
Bent Over Rows
For this strength exercise, you will be using your weights. I recommend starting with lightweights, maybe only 1-2 pounds.
- Begin standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart from each other.
- Hinge at your hips, allowing a slight bend in your knees. The closer you are to parallel to the ground, the better; however, whatever feels comfortable for you is just fine.
- Allow your arms to hang down with elbows straight.
- Bring your elbows up straight behind you, as you squeeze your shoulder blades at the top of the movement. The focus should be on the mid-back pinch and maintaining control as you come out of the squeeze.
- Relax and slowly lower your arms back down.
- Repeat 8-10 times, working up to 15-20 times when you feel comfortable.
FAQs
How long after a lumpectomy can you exercise?
After a lumpectomy, you can typically start with gentle arm and shoulder movements within a few days of surgery (once cleared by your doctor). Begin with the exercises in my 0-3 week guide, then progress through the series as you heal. Recovery is usually faster than with a mastectomy, but everyone heals differently.
How to regain strength after radiation?
The best way to regain strength after radiation is by adding gentle stretching and strength exercises to your daily routine – after you’re cleared by your doctor. Consistency is key, and starting gentle is always better than trying to do too much too soon.
What are the exercise recommendations for breast cancer patients?
Exercise recommendations vary depending on where you are in your recovery. The key is starting with gentle movements when cleared by your doctor and gradually progressing. I always recommend working with a physical therapist who specializes in cancer recovery to make sure you’re doing exercises safely and effectively.
Final Thoughts
Having a good quality of life after breast cancer is absolutely possible. I’ve seen thousands of patients get back to physical activity and return to their normal daily activities. After getting clearance from your doctor, start with gentle activities like these stretches and strength exercises to help regain your normal movement and get back to the things you love.
