Breast Cancer Services may Include:

• 60 min one:one cancer rehab initial assessment with a cancer physio

• Baseline assessment: function, balance, range of motion, strength, aerobic and neurovascular systems

• Vestibular assessment for dizziness, if needed.

• Neuropathy assessment for sensation change, if needed,

• Personalized rehab plan tailored to your rehab phase and 45-60 min cancer rehab follow ups according to your support level

• Pool Therapy*

• Manual therapy etc. (soft tissue/joint work, lymphatic techniques and IMS )*

• Direct medical access to a cancer physio via email

• Monthly e-newsletter “Empowered with Rehab”

• Correspondence with oncologist, family physicians and insurance providers as needed, along with required medical reports*

• Online rehab platform access (instructional videos, rehab plan and symptom tracking app).

  *Offered in-clinic only, self-manual techniques provided via Telehealth

  *Medical reports may have an extra fee

TREATMENT PHASE

What Does the Treatment Phase Include?

​The treatment phase is specific to the individual, it may start with a mastectomy or lumpectomy, for others it starts immediately with systemic chemotherapy. This phase is often paired with a symptom burden. Depending on the cancer type, stage, grade and cell cycle, a personalized treatment plan will be discussed with your medical oncology team. Treatment may include further surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Some medications may have a cardio-toxic effect, together we can discuss safe exercise following your ECG results. A personalized rehab plan according to your cancer stage, type and treatment stage can help promote joint health, cardiorespiratory health and energy conservation through out this difficult time.

Can a Rehab Plan help during Chemotherapy?

​Systemic chemotherapies may cause NADIR (blood cell changes), cardio-toxicity, neuropathies and fatigue amongst other conditions. Targeted chemotherapies work more specifically on receptor blockers, enzyme inhibition or cell membrane infiltration but they too may cause symptoms such as mucosal irritation, gastritis, soft tissue inflammation and joint arthralgia. The most reported symptoms are chemotherapy induced fatigue, chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathies, and nausea.

Despite this being a very difficult phase filled with fatigue, a personalized rehab plan can better health and provide you with tools that work. We also offer vestibular assessments for any concerns with dizziness or unsteadiness and neuropathy assessments for any concerns relating to sensory changes of the hands/feet.

Can a Rehab Plan help during Radiation?​

Treatment planning may involve radiation. Mobility of the shoulder is very concerning during radiation and post, a rehab plan allows for tissue extensibility and healthy shoulder function. Post radiation, while in the proliferation phase of healing, rehab is very important to prevent the onset of radiation fibrosis syndrome. The risk continues to 2 months post radiation where rehabilitation continues to have a vital role. There are many tools that you can use to promote wound healing, diagnose any concerning neuropathies and optimize your outcomes through out this stage.

Can a Rehab Plan help during Hormone Therapy?​​

Hormone therapy may be part of your treatment pathway and leads to a very individualized symptom burden. As there is variation in how patients respond to these treatments, reading personal stories and worrying ahead of time may not be a good idea. The most reported symptoms from a survey of over 6000 cancer patients was fatigue, hot flashes and joint pain. Aim to understand the larger statistics and find preparedness.

Together we can work together to meet you where you are at. If needed, we can better manage fatigue, joint arthralgia, sleep hygiene and other symptoms that you may have. There are rehab tools available that work.

RECOVERY PHASE

​When does Recovery Start?

The term ‘recovery’ is a bit fluid, often involving when a patient has completed a treatment regime (surgery, chemo and radiation); in addition to scans possibly indicating that the cancer has not metastasized. A patient may have started taking medications such as Tamoxifen, Anastrozole and other hormone therapies or started medications such as bio-phosphinates yet still be considered to be in ‘recovery’.

The term ‘recovery’ can be sensitive for some patients as the cancer journey continues in many ways. Recovery can still involve diagnostics, medications and a heavy symptom burden, which can make the term ‘recovery’ feel misleading.

Whatever symptom burden you hold, perhaps it’s some remaining shoulder stiffness, nerve pain, dizziness or fatigue with exertion, there are rehab supports available.

When Can I Return to Work?

Discussions around returning to work can be exciting but also overwhelming. Sometimes the focus on survivorship and treatment can mean that rehabilitation was put a side and once treatment is over, you may be left with unmanaged symptoms and feeling alone.

Returning to work may seem like a daunting task when you are feeling de-conditioned or left with complications from treatment. Together we can work with your insurance provider to create a manageable graded return to work providing the needed documentation and reports. Even without a heavy symptom burden, returning to work can involve a steep adjustment that is best suited with a gradual return.

Together we can advocate for a return to work that is right for you and duty schedule that you feel prepared for.

​How can I Start Rebuilding Strength or Return to Sport?

Completing treatment can feel exhausting. Often after some time spent in recovery, patients have the mental and physical energy to start finding themselves again. This can take the form of exploring active living, returning to sport, or setting a new physical goal.

At times there are some side effects and symptoms that aren’t in the forefront but upon exertion or with exercise can resurface. This can look like breathlessness, fatigue after exercise, increased joint pain or push/crash cycling.

Whether symptoms are limiting you or you are just wanting some clinical support and exercise programming to exercise safely, together we can get you back to the activities you love such as walking your dog, cross fit, cycling or paddle boarding.

Together we can perform a functional evaluation and baseline assessment, providing you with the rehab tools you need to feel safe getting back to the things you love.

Whatever phase you may be in and for however long, we welcome you as you are, offering cancer rehab driven by care of people and science.