Oncology Rehabilitation - BUILDING FUTURES Program

 

About "Building Futures"

"Building Futures" is a program dedicated to assisting individuals through the physical challenges of cancer treatment and recovery. Our therapists are specifically trained and highly specialized in the recognition and treatment of various side effects that can result from chemotherapy, radiation, cancer surgery, and hormonal therapies. These side effects can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. Some of the side effects that can be addressed by our physical therapists are fatigue, balance and gait problems, deconditioning or weakness, restricted mobility, scar tissue formation, and lymphedema.

Fatigue

Fatigue is reported as the most common and distressing side effect of cancer treatments. One of the best ways to fight against cancer-related fatigue is with exercise. It is well documented in numerous studies that exercise, if properly prescribed, can significantly decrease one’s level of fatigue. Exercise has been shown repeatedly to increase energy, appetite, immune system response, and an overall sense of well being and quality of life for individuals going through cancer treatments. Our specialized therapists are trained to prescribe an individualized exercise program that is safe and appropriate. Our therapists take into account all factors of that individual's current treatment protocol, blood counts, and overall physical capabilities. It is important for a person experiencing cancer-related fatigue to discuss this with his/her physician. There may be underlying physical causes, such as anemia, metabolic disorders, sleep disorders, or medication side effects that need to be addressed medically. Fatigue could also be caused by emotional disorders, such as depression or anxiety. Medical interventions can be helpful for these aspects of fatigue, as well.

Balance and Gait Problems

Problems with walking and poor balance can result from a number of reasons during the course of cancer treatments. In some instances, the location of the cancer itself can be the cause of gait and/or balance problems. Surgeries to remove cancer can also affect a person's balance and ability to walk. Effects of chemotherapy and radiation, such as fatigue and weakness, can contribute to a person’s ability to ambulate safely. Some particular chemotherapy medications can cause peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness/tingling in the hands and/or feet. When a person cannot feel his/her feet, it is difficult to tell where the feet are in relation to the rest of the body. This can result in a loss of balance and increased risk for falls. Our therapists are specialized in evaluating the causes of balance and gait disorders. Following the evaluation, our therapists can develop an individualized program that will restore mobility, strength, independence, and decrease the fear of falling.

Deconditioning or Weakness

Deconditioning is closely related to fatigue as a major side-effect of cancer treatments. As fatigue sets in, an individual's activity level decreases. This can lead to decrease strength and endurance. There can be different degrees of deconditioning ranging from mild to severe. However, no matter what degree the individual is at, it is important to address it to restore and improve his/her quality of life. Our specialized therapists can design a program that is safe, appropriate, and manageable for each individual to optimize his/her functional abilities and quality of life before, during, and after cancer treatments.

Restricted Mobility

Surgery to remove tumors, the surrounding tissues, and sometimes regional lymph nodes is often one of the first options facing someone newly diagnosed with cancer. The result of these surgeries can be the loss or restriction of movement. It is important for an individual to be instructed on how to safely restore mobility of the affected body part following surgery to allow for optimal healing of the involved area. Our specialized therapists are familiar with many of the surgical procedures used for various cancers. They will guide you safely through recovery of mobility and restoration of functional abilities that may have been lost following surgery.

Radiation therapy can also sometimes cause restrictions in soft tissue mobility within the radiation field. This can cause restricted movement of the involved area. Our therapists are familiar with the specific tissue changes that can occur during and after radiation treatments. They are experienced in restoring soft tissue and joint mobility while protecting the sometimes delicate nature of radiated tissues.

Scar Tissue Formation

Scar tissue is formed in response to inflammation from tissue injury, and is the body's way of healing that injury. Surgical procedures and radiation therapy both contribute to tissue damage. This can cause inflammation to accumulate in surrounding tissues. Scar tissue that forms in response to this inflammation is one of the reasons for restricted movements and pain that can occur following surgery or radiation therapy. If scar tissue is left alone, it will tend to shrink on itself, causing the tissues to shorten, and restricting mobility of that body part, sometimes permanently. There are specific manual techniques that can assist in loosening these soft tissue restrictions to allow optimal mobility. It is important that intervention occur early to insure the tissues heal with appropriate flexibility and mobility, Our specialized therapists know the stages of tissue healing and understand the different effects chemotherapy and radiation therapy can have on the timing of healing. They can provide the appropriate treatment to maximize mobility without compromising the healing process.

Special Note for Breast Cancer

Survivors of breast cancer my continue treatment in the form of hormonal therapies (Arimidex, Aromasin, Femara, Tamoxifen) for at least 5 years after completing their other cancer treatments. These therapies have been proven to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. However, there are physical side effects of these medications that can have a negative impact on one’s overall health and quality of life. Some of these possible side effects include osteoporosis, artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), joint or muscle pain, and weight gain (which has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer recurrence). These side effects can all be significantly diminished by participating in a regular exercise program that includes cardiovascular activity, resistance training, core strengthening, and flexibility exercises. It is very important to establish and be consistent with a regular exercise routine if you are undergoing hormonal treatments.

Certain chemotherapy drugs commonly used to treat breast cancer (Adriamycin and Herceptin) can cause damage to the heart muscle. For people receiving these medications, exercise is very important for maintaining one's overall cardiovascular function. It is important that you have permission from your physician to participate in a medically supervised exercise program to insure you are exercising safely to strengthen and protect your heart without undue strain.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ORS'S ONCOLOGY REHABILITATION?

Click on the images below to view the pdf's:

Article as seen in the Northwest Quarterly ORS Oncology Brochure Oncology Rehab Referral Form

Article as seen in the Northwest Quarterly

ORS Oncology Brochure

Oncology Rehab Referral Form - Print and ask your doctor to refer you to ORS!