Breast Cancer Recovery & Rehabilitation

Treatment to fight cancer is one thing … recovery is quite another. Our goal is to restore function and teach self-management strategies early in the post-mastectomy recovery process.

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Ivy Rehab / Therapy Services / Physical Therapy / Breast Cancer Recovery & Rehabilitation

Breast cancer treatment.

Treatment to fight cancer is one thing…recovery is quite another. Our goal is to restore function and teach self-management strategies early in the post-mastectomy recovery process. We will be there for the entire journey from start to finish. Our team has the education and experience to ensure that you receive the best care possible after your breast cancer surgery or radiation therapy.

If you are recovering from breast cancer or have had a prophylactic (preventative) mastectomy after a positive test for the BRCA gene mutation or other genetic mutations, we are here for you. Physical therapy has been shown to be beneficial in aiding you in the breast cancer recovery process and can help breast cancer patients in many different ways.

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Women Breast Cancer Support Charity Concept
Joyful cancer survivor in her 30s, wearing a pink headscarf and yellow sweater, flexing her muscles in an urban setting.

Reasons physical therapy post-surgery may be prescribed.

To prepare for radiation treatment:

  • A certain amount of shoulder range of motion is required to begin breast cancer treatment

To reduce post-breast surgery side effects:

  • Scar tissue/soft tissue mobility
  • Axillary Web Syndrome (AWS) (Cording)
  • Flexibility
  • Range of motion
  • Strength

To combat the side effects of chemotherapy:

  • Decreased cardiovascular endurance
  • Sarcopenia (age-related loss of lean muscle strength and function, replaced by fat)

What makes physical therapy for breast cancer different from traditional physical therapy?

Manual therapists have been trained to restore scar tissue mobility, range of motion, flexibility, strength, and muscular and cardiovascular endurance. With a patient who is recovering from breast cancer, physical therapy specialization requires not only treating these side effects but also having a thorough understanding of specific precautions. These specifics include post-surgical, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy precautions, the importance of scar tissue mobility, stretching, and progressive strengthening.

Physical Therapy for breast cancer can help with:

  • Myofascial release techniques
  • Shoulder dysfunction management
  • Orthopedic shoulder and/or neck issues
  • Posture restoration
  • Post-fat-grafting and plastic surgery tissue remodeling
  • Acute and chronic rehabilitation strategies
  • Lymphedema prevention, treatment, and management
  • Reconstruction soft tissue re-alignment and functional breast cancer recovery
  • Wound and skincare as needed
  • Cancer-related fatigue management
  • Breast care for individuals who test positive for BRCA gene mutation or other genetic mutations
  • Utilizing strategies that include:
Back Pain & Stress

Empowerment through education.

Our highly trained therapists also focus heavily on patient education. We believe that empowerment through knowledge is a vital component of the rehabilitation process, and we will make sure that you are educated about what to expect throughout your journey. Our goal is to help you feel prepared and knowledgeable about symptoms you may encounter following breast cancer surgery, as well as activities and/or exercises that may be helpful to you throughout your healing process.

If you have just undergone targeted breast cancer treatment, now is the time to receive effective, targeted therapy from Ivy Rehab to assist your recovery. Our recovery therapists are experts in post-surgery treatment to help breast cancer patients with a comfortable rehabilitation process.

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Find the right therapy today.

Discover how Ivy Rehab can help you achieve your therapy goals.

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Check out some of our 4 and 5 star reviews

Excellent4.8★★★★★ review us on ★★★★★ Connie is my Physical Therapist and she has been so helpful in guiding me through activities to reduce my shoulder pain. She is very encouraging and ensures that I do only the correct activities so that I am not overdoing my exercises to the point of pain. She is the best!Response from the ownerThat’s wonderful to hear – thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, Princeton ★★★★★ I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ellis and Megan for various issues, including rehab after my reconstructive knee surgery, and I couldn’t be happier with my progress. They are both incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely care about their patients. Emmanuel at the front desk is a standout—always friendly and ready to help, which really makes the whole process smoother. Plus, the assistants Tyra and Emilia are fantastic too, always supportive and attentive. Highly recommend this team for anyone needing physical therapy!Response from the ownerWe value your feedback, thank you for your kind words! – The team at Park Sports Physical Therapy, Brooklyn – Williamsburg ★★★★★ I started PT with Steve Siegel 4 months after my spine surgery. Steve designed a PT program with care and consideration for my pain. As important, Steve gave me lifetime habits for better posture, proper rising from a chair, and safe picking things up. Steve is an extraordinary coach. The whole staff felt like family. ★★★★★ Mrs Nesbit is giving this review, everyone is great in assisting, kind, pushing you to go further and work thru your pain. If you to have physical therapy I recommend Ivy Rehab South Norfolk.Response from the ownerThank you for taking the time to share this review, it means so much! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy – Chesapeake – South Norfolk ★★★★★ The experience at Excel has been wonderful! I have attended a previous PT for approximately 10 to 15 years and the last two times I went I did not get better. At Excel, they go out of their way for you to improve especially when you complain of a specific place of pain or discomfort. Joe and Holly will add a specific exercise to address the issue or add a modality that will help eg adding massage. They also have different treatments I have never had before like raking incision and suction cups and dry needling. These modalities have decreased the roping and darkness of my incision. I have other spine level issues and Joe and Holly go out of their way to eliminate it. I look forward every day I go to have PT and treatments.Response from the ownerYour kind review made our day, thank you so much! – The team at Excel Physical Therapy – West Deptford – 1007 Mantua Pke ★★★★★ Have not had positive experiences with PTs… …,so when I developed a serious case of tennis elbow I was reluctant to try it again. Because of proximity I chose Ivyrehab…Since I am a daily tennis player I was initially concerned that I would have to postpone my play for an extended period of time… Apon meeting Chris Thomas I was assured that was not necessarily so… He developed a plan that specifically addressed the areas that were impacting my play…almost all exercises were designed to be replicated at home … the results were quick and allowed me to be back on the court within a two week period…I am now pain free and back playing daily… all thanks to Chris and the Ivy staff… I am delighted and highly recommend this professional affable group individualsRuss RiggioResponse from the ownerThank you for taking the time to share this review, it means so much! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, New Hyde Park ★★★★★ Our son loves going to speech & will ask if he has it each day. They taught him exercises to work on his “k” sounds & will practice on his own. Everyone can definitely understand him better & he doesn’t get frustrated trying to tell us somethingResponse from the ownerYour kind review made our day – thank you so much! – The team at Ivy Rehab for Kids – Bensalem ★★★★★ The staff is truly welcoming and friendly. Out of all of the Physical Therapy offices I’ve been to, this is by far the nicest environment. They are very clean and sanitize all of their equipment. The take the time to stay up to date with holiday decorations that add to the atmosphere. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a peaceful, supportive recovery. 🙂Response from the ownerThank you so much for sharing your thoughts, we appreciate you! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, Princeton ★★★★★ Small and intimate attention to detail rehab. My evaluation was very thorough. Everything is nice and clean, well lit. Good quality Life Fitness equipment. I have nothing but great things to say about all the staff I have worked with. I would absolutely recommend them!!Response from the ownerHi Jason! Thank you so much for the compliments on our facility . We are glad to hear that you have had a great experience here at Maximum Performance . Thank you so much for your recommendation ! ★★★★★ So friendly and helpful! I went from extreme difficulty moving and painful back spasms to knowing exactly what to do to correct my back pain and avoid getting into this situation in the future. Highly recommend this place!!Response from the ownerWe value your feedback, thank you for your kind words! – The team at Ivy Rehab, Fishers ★★★★★ Ethan was outstanding to work with after my arm injury. He took the time to piece together my symptoms, took immediate steps to ease the pain and then came up with a plan to strengthen the area around the injury to make sure it didn’t recur. Highly recommended!Response from the ownerThank you for taking the time to leave such thoughtful feedback, we’re grateful! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy – Cary  ★★★★★ I can’t recommend this place enough! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warmth and professionalism. The entire staff is incredibly knowledgeable, attentive, and dedicated to helping each patient achieve their goals.My therapist, Caroline, is outstanding. They take the time to fully understand my injury and developed a personalized treatment plan that not only addressed my pain but also helped me regain strength and mobility. Every session is well-organized, and the staff is always patient and encouraging, making sure I felt comfortable and confident with the exercises.Response from the ownerThank you for the great review, we really appreciate it! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, Hoboken – Midtown ★★★★★ Very caring and professional staff. They take the time and listen to your concerns and struggles and work hard to find solutions to your therapy needs. Highly recommend.Response from the ownerThank you for taking the time to share this review, it means so much! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, Kokomo ★★★★★ Friendly, knowledgeable, caring and professional. I have been to Ivy Rehab a few times over the past few years and have been extremely happy with the care I received. I would highly recommend them to anyone with a need for physical therapy.Response from the ownerWe value your feedback, thank you for your kind words! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, King of Prussia ★★★★★ Friendly, kind, knowledgeable, and consummate professionals… treat all of the patients I have seen over the course of my visits with respect. As a health care provider, I genuinely trust each and every individual working here! Highly recommended!Response from the ownerIt’s great to hear this feedback! Thank you for taking the time to share your review! – The team at Excel Physical Therapy, Cresskill ★★★★★ I’m so incredibly thankful for Nikki and being able to apply for the UHCF grant. Without the grant, it would probably be impossible to provide my son with regular speech therapy, which he needs. Nikki has been very responsive, helpful, and supportive in helping me through all the ins and outs of the grant. My family and I are so grateful for ABC and all the ways that they have supported my son with special needs!Response from the ownerWe are so happy to help! Thank you for the kind words and trusting us in the care of your child! ★★★★★ I’ve been in PT for various issues over the past several months. My therapist, Dr. Hayley Stewart, has been absolutely wonderful! She is so caring and compassionate. She implements therapy programs to best work with each scenario and offers alternatives when I struggle. I was pretty emotional during my first visit which was quite embarrassing; however, she took time to listen and gain a full understanding of my situation and concerns and put me at ease. I will ALWAYS stick with Dr. Stewart for all of my PT needs. She is truly amazing!I’d also like to give a shout out to Kyle. He’s on top of everything and does his best to accommodate my scheduling needs. In the midst of all of the busyness up front receiving and checking out patients, his demeanour is always pleasant and professional.The rest of the staff are very friendly as well!Response from the ownerThank you for the great review, we really appreciate it! – The team at Synergy Rehab and Wellness – Staunton ★★★★★ I went to Excel Therapy to recover from a knee dislocation. Aaron, Josh, and the whole Excel team tailored a program specifically to my injury, from alleviating pain to regaining mobility. Within two months, I went from not being able to climb stairs to resuming all sports & activities. Not only did they help me recover, but set me up with a program to further strengthen my knees to prevent any future injuries. I truly enjoyed every session there, and am grateful for all the treatment/instruction they gave me.Response from the ownerYour kind review made our day, thank you so much! – The team at Excel Physical Therapy – Westfield – East Broad St ★★★★★ I rock climb 3-4 days a week and hurt myself one day. I was in so much pain I couldn’t sleep. Nothing would allieviate the pain. After weeks of rest, I finally decided to go to PT and see if it could help. Everybody at Ivy rehab was able to help me in different ways. After only a couple months of PT twice a week, I was able to finally get back to climbing. Tyler, along with everybody else, was able to help me build a stronger base to work from and got me into a gym routine that I am still continuing to this day. I attribute the work I did at PT with my recent improvement in my climbing abilities. I could not recommend them more.Response from the ownerIt’s always wonderful to hear such kind feedback – we appreciate you! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy – Conshohocken  ★★★★★ Love this place! Therapists Rachel and Kevin are fantastic and Shannon at the front desk is so friendly and helpful. I have already seen big improvements in just 5 sessions.Response from the ownerThank you for taking the time to share your experience, it means so much! – The team at Ivy Rehab PT, Fishers ★★★★★ Denise and Kurt are very professional. They help with every exercise. Encourage you to do a little more. I feel that I got alot of help. Enjoyed the atmosphere. I would recommend them to anyone that needs therapyResponse from the ownerIt’s great to hear this feedback! Thank you for taking the time to share your review! – The team at Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy, Grand Blanc js_loader
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