Physical Therapy Helpful After Cancer Treatments

Pat Guth contributes news and insightful content for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Bio ?

February 14, 2013

New York, NY - It?s common knowledge that many medications given for cancer kill not only cancer cells but also cause nerve damage as well as muscle and joint problems. That?s why oncologists are urging cancer patients to sign up for physical therapy sessions that can help relieve pain and restore movement affected by treatments, even years after treatments have ceased.

According to a story aired on WABC-New York, doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center are recommending what they have started referring to as ?cancer rehab?, a program where oncologists and physical therapists get together to devise a program that will help prevent long-term problems for their patients.

?A number of the common chemotherapeutic medicines will cause numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, or outright pain in the hands and feet,? adds Dr. Michael Stubblefield, Chief of the Cancer Rehab program. ?That's all because most cancer treatments don't just kill the cancer. You also damage the healthy cells and tissue around it. That can lead to problems with strength and range of motion.?

Patients agree. ?So much of our culture is about being cancer free and surviving but there?s a cost to it,? says Nancy Libby, who is receiving physical therapy to relieve chronic swelling and pain from a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Patients like Libby note that even everyday simple tasks can be tough after debilitating treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.

That?s why part of Sloan-Kettering?s cancer rehabilitation program includes a simulated kitchen to focus on everyday responsibilities as well as a simulated ?park? that includes uneven surfaces such as those one would find while walking outdoors.

The story reports that there are very few established cancer rehab programs like the one at Sloan-Kettering, but patients in other locations should talk to physical therapists that are well-versed in the challenges of cancer patients to talk about sessions that may help their recovery.

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Source: http://www.mesothelioma.com/news/2013/02/physical-therapy-helpful-after-cancer-treatments.htm

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