October is breast cancer awareness month. This is an international health campaign organised by breast cancer charities to increase awareness of the disease as well as raise funds for research and support.
Bounce Back Exercise provides exercise support for people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer before, during and after treatment. This blog goes over some of the benefits of exercise for people with breast cancer as well as five exercises to help recovery from treatment. I have also included some key links to breast cancer charities and support groups and ways that you could get involved.
Breast cancer treatment can affect how you move your shoulder and arm. It can cause pain and stiffness, limiting your arm movements and ability to carry out day to day activities such as getting dressed.
Tightness in the chest and shoulder is normal and should decrease as you do the exercises. Perform the exercises slowly and controlled. Take deep breathes to encourage oxygen to the muscles.
Repeat each exercise 5-10 times:Â
How to do it: Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and roll them backwards.
Muscles targeted: Opening up the chest muscles.
How to do it: Pull your elbows back, opening up your chest. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
Muscles targeted: Strengthens muscles of the upper back and stretches the chest muscles. Helps relieve tension in the upper back.
How to do it: Pull your elbows back while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold for 2 seconds, then slowly extend your arms.
Muscles targeted: Upper back muscles (trapezius, rhomboids, and latissimus dorsi).
How to do it: Reach your arms up above your head. Interlock your fingers and gently lean to one side. Hold for 10 seconds.
Muscles targeted: Stretches the upper back (latissimus dorsi) and chest muscles.
How to do it: Lying on your back, hold onto a wand, pole or dumbbell. Lift your arms slowly above your head. Hold for 5 seconds before controlling your arms back to your waist.
Muscles targeted: Engages the muscles in your shoulders and  chest.
Click here to watch the videos of these movements
For more exercise support or advise get in touch with beth@bouncebackexercise.com
Bounce Back Exercise – www.bouncebackexercise.com – exercise support
5K Your Way – https://5kyourway.org – exercise support
Bow Belles Wigs – https://www.bowbelleswigs.co.uk – wig fitting
Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre – https://www.ljmc.org – support group
Trojans Breast Cancer Support Group – http://trojansupport.me.uk – support group
Breast cancer support charities need all the support they can get. Get involved and raisie funds for research into causes, prevention, treatment and support for breast cancer. This could be through a sports challenge, a social event
Breast Cancer Now – https://breastcancernow.org
METUP UK – https://metupuk.org.uk
Make 2nds Count – https://www.make2ndscount.co.uk
Secondary 1st – https://www.secondary1st.org.uk
Pink ribbon foundation – https://www.pinkribbonfoundation.org.uk
Â
Organisations such as breast cancer now campaign to make sure that everyone affected by breast cancer receives the best possible treatment services, support and care.
To find out more visit https://breastcancernow.org
Â
There are many clinical trials around the world for people who are undergoing or have completed breast cancer treatment. Clinical trials are important for discovering treatments for breast cancer as well as new ways to detect, diagnose and reduce the chance of developing the disease. If you would like to get involved, talk to your health care provider who may be able to help you find a trial suitable.
No matter how you choose to get involved, you will help make a difference to people diagnosed with breast cancer and their families now and in the future.