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Efficacy of Physical Therapy for Patients Who Have Undergone Mastectomies: A Prospective Study

Dr. Wingate is Coordinator of Rehabilitation Medicine, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, NY 14203 (USA).

This study was undertaken to determine if differences existed between a group of 49 patients who had undergone mastectomies and who received postoperative physical therapy and a group of 41 similar patients who did not. Preoperative and postoperative data were obtained for each patient from goniometric measurements of shoulder abduction, flexion, and external rotation; upper extremity circumferential measurements; and patient self-report on 10 functional assessment items. While age was controlled, an analysis of variance was used to test the effects of physical therapy and the side of surgery in relation to the dominant hand. No clinically significant differences were found between the groups for circumferential data. Goniometric measurements demonstrated that, postoperatively, the group receiving physical therapy had better shoulder range of motion and less difficulty with all functional assessment items. The results suggest that patients receiving postmastectomy physical therapy achieve better functional outcomes than those who do not.

Key Words: Mastectomy • Postoperative care • Physical therapy

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