Weight lifting after mx

Hi mawhinney,

Take a quick look at the thread in the LE forum about the NLN's new position paper on exercise for breast cancer survivors.  That will get you started.  Then google PAL Protocol and look especially for an article that has 'clearing up misconceptions' in its title. 

Quick answer is that you can do strength training, but to protect yourself from triggering lymphedema, you need to do it very, very cautiously following some very thoughtful but strict guidelines that were developed to enable you to condition your arm/trunk to lift heavy things in life, so that daily functional lifting will be less likely to trigger LE, while at the same time minimizing (but not eliminating) the risk that the very program of strength training can trigger LE. 

Hope I said that well--no weightlifting program will ever be LE-risk free for you, but if you wish to use weight lifting to strengthen your bones, there is a path that will help you get there. Best circumstance is to work with a personal trainer who is familiar with the PAL Protocol, if you can find one.  Research suggests there's no upper limit on weight you can lift with your SNB arm, but form, method, progression and lots of attention to precautions govern how successfully you can manage your LE risk while moving toward your weight goals.

Good luck--I'm right there with you with the same objective and the same concerns! 

Carol