Are Pilates and Yoga Still Possible?

affenpinscher

my I'm scheduled for a simple mastectomy of my right breast. Currently, I attend pilates mat class three times a week and love it.

Once I heal will I be able to do the stretches with my right arm (assuming no lymph glands are removed)?

ruthbru

Yes you can, even if you do have lymph nodes removed. You just have to work back into it very slowly. I do both pilates and yoga and don't have problems with any of the moves or poses, but you will need to be patient with your body because it will take awhile. Best of luck!

Jelson

afffenpinscher- do not assume that removal of lymph nodes will prevent you doing the exercises you love. Check out the very active and informative lymphedema discussion board here on BCO. you will find that those with lymphedema can be very active. Also, regardless of lymph node removal - both surgery and radiation put us at risk of lymphedema and we should all take precautions.

good luck with your upcoming surgery.

crystalphm

It comes and goes for me, sometimes I can do yoga, and other times when LE is flared, I take a rest from it. Basically if I feel good doing it,

I keep on doing it, your body will let you know when it is tired or has had enough. One thing I don't often do is a downward dog sort of posture, but then again I had 9 lymph nodes removed, double mastectomy, and the area feels tight and congested if I work too hard.

Life changes a bit, but we still get to do what we love best in most cases, with just a bit of adapting.

Take your time, maybe talk to your teacher ahead of time, she can help you adjust positions while you recover.

labelle

A good yoga or Pilates instructor will help you with alternate poses to accommodate any limitations you might have after surgery. I took a Pilates class during RADS and it went okay.

littleblueflowers

You should have no trouble once you heal up! Fi d a lymphedema PT befor you need one, and start slow with preventative excercises. You will be just fine!

carol57

affenpinscher, here's a link to a document you can read and give to instructors of Pilates and yoga. It explains LE and related exercise precautions and adaptations:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Trainer%20doc%20for...

A less detailed version is a handout for women taking fitness classes who need to know about their LE risk:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Handout%20doc%20for...

The contributors to these documents include an Naomi Aaronson, who is occupational therapist specializing in LE therapy, and who also teaches Pilates. Naomi and a colleague wrote a book about Pilates for BC survivors: http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Breast-Cancer-Surviv...

The handouts were also reviewed by a yoga teacher and several well regarded LE-and-exercise researchers and clinicians who have interest in the topic.

In short, the answer to your question is indeed yes you can...but be smart about it, as everyone here has suggested.

Also, if anyone puts you in PT immediately after your mx, to prevent frozen shoulder, ask if it can be delayed by ten days. There's some evidence that keeping our arm at or below shoulder level for that time -and maybe a full 2 weeks, to be safe--lowers the risk of LE developing. One study compared delayed shoulder work to the more common immediate PT and found that the delay lowered LE risk by about a third during the year post surgery, and that the delay did not in any way cause trouble in regaining and maintaining shoulder mobility.

Momine

I had 22 nodes removed on one side and 1 on the other. I do some yoga and also lift weights 2-3 times a week. It has not been a problem. Because I had so many nodes out and some mild lymphedema in the beginning (still flares occasionally) I do wear a sleeve and gauntlet when I exercise.

glennie19

Wore my sleeve and chest compression to yoga class today!  I still do downward dog, but I will get out of it faster than the rest of the class if I feel we are holding it too long.  I do try to watch how long I keep my weight on my arm.

Do you have an affenpinscher??  We love dog pics!!  There is a thread called Comfort Dogs that you might like to visit later on too. 

Jillybee

Tell your instructor.....I can do downward dog,but with difficulty.I am now returning to Zpilates,Body balance and tai chi after 3 months off due to surgery.Can not wait.

glennie19

Jilly:  did you have Paget's in both breasts?  Just wondering,,, don't see a lot of fellow Paget's people here.

dtad

Hi guys. I returned to full body Pilates 2 months after BMX. Started stretching at 3 weeks. I think it really helped my upper body range of motion and also the tightness associated with this surgery.

Bippy625

yup, me too, doing yoga and pilates!

It was a slow (and still is) a slooowww process. But the more I do, the better it gets. Honestly, I could not move nearly at all till a few months ago. The body is amazing and powerful, given time to heal. Taking pilates tomorrow

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

I had DMX and have Lymphedema and am doing an Ashtanga practice with modifications. It takes me longer to build strength than others as I just go easy and don't push anything too hard. I had VLNT surgery in March so I was pretty much starting from zero again. I have built up strength VERY slowly but it is happening. I find my LE eases a touch on days I do it in the morning. There is a doctor in CA who specifically studied secondary LE and yoga. The findings were no one's LE got worse and some got slightly better.

crystalphm

Good to hear Mariasnow, I have been wondering if there were any studies with LE and youga. I honestly dod not get worse with yoga, but I do take it easy too.

The frozen shoulder is a different story :-(

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf

I have really taken my time building up my yoga. I started with modifications and totally skipping some stuff. Now gradually with each passing week, I'm finding small victories. Only a few times did I get so totally discouraged I didn't want to return. But then I realized my health comes first, I went back and eased up again for a bit. There is a ton of goodness in this Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Practice for me. I'm super grateful to have found this little gem of a yoga studio that is a 5-minute walk from home. I truly feel blessed. I was always an endurance athlete, but this has been a nice new passion for me and I've met nice people and received friend requests from other students. It feels great to be doing things. :-)

carol57

Here are some good reads about yoga's benefits, and they discuss lymphedema risk: Ask the Expert: Yoga and Breast Cancer | Living Beyond Breast Cancer LBBC.org

http://www.livingbeyondbreastcancer.net/Learning-From-Others/Ask-the-Expert/2014-03-Yoga-and-Breast-Cancer/(language)/eng-US

Guide to Yoga and Breast Cancer | Living Beyond Breast Cancer LBBC.org
http://www.lbbc.org/Understanding-Breast-Cancer/Guides-to-Understanding-Breast-Cancer/Guide-to-Understanding-Yoga-and-Breast-Cancer?__utma=200528179.2035527909.1439502150.1439502150.1439502150.1&__utmb=200528179.11.10.1439502150&__utmc=200528179&__utmx=-&__utmz=200528179.1439502150.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%20provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=152676282

( I guess I really should learn how to use that linky or bit-ly or tinyurl tool that I know exists out there...these links are crazy long.)