Breast cancer surgery — whether it’s a biopsy, lumpectomy, lymph node removal, mastectomy, or breast reconstruction — can cause pain and stiffness and restrict shoulder and arm motion. That, in turn, can affect your everyday activities in ways you might not expect, including when you’re showering, dressing, brushing your teeth, drying your hair, or even just reaching to grab an object.
Studies have found that 25 to 60 percent of women who have had some type of breast cancer operation have some level of pain after surgery. Post-mastectomy pain syndrome is nerve pain in the chest wall, arm, or armpit, and it can affect anyone undergoing any type of breast cancer surgery. It’s caused by the removal of tissue in the upper outside part of the chest or underarm area; women who have undergone radiation and axillary lymph node dissection (the removal of lymph nodes under the arm to check whether the cancer has spread) can also be affected.
That’s why experts agree that it’s important to do proper exercises after breast surgery to decrease side effects such as chest tightness, regain full arm and shoulder motion, and resume normal everyday activities.
“Women, after breast surgery, have a tendency to try to protect their chest area, but that’s actually counterproductive,” explains Lauren Shroyer, a board-certified athletic trainer and the vice president of product and innovation at the American Council on Exercise in San Diego. “Holding yourself tight and forward will actually increase the amount of stiffness in that area.” To keep your body loose and your muscles working, post-surgery exercise and stretching are essential, Shroyer says.
Remember to always consult your physician to determine when you are ready to start exercising after surgery. Here are six beginner moves to help you get your mobility back and reduce chest tightness. Put on some loose, comfy clothing, and don’t forget to take deep, cleansing breaths as you do each exercise. “Think of this as relaxation time, and a positive experience for your body,” says Shroyer.
Wall Crawl
How to Do It Stand 8 to 10 inches in front of a wall with your arms resting at your sides. Place your hands on the wall in front of you and slowly let your fingertips climb as high as you can. Relax your shoulders. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Slowly crawl down again and return arms to your sides. Repeat three times. Tip: You can do this with one or both arms. Return to this exercise throughout the day.
Why It’s Important “The more frequently you move your arms, the more quickly your body will adapt,” says Shroyer.
Snow Angels
How to Do It Lie on the floor with your feet flat and knees slightly bent to support your lower back. With arms at a comfortable distance from your sides and palms facing toward the ceiling, slowly slide the backs of your hands along the floor while moving your arms up toward shoulder height (or above your head if you can). Slowly return arms to the starting position. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
Why It’s Important This helps maintain the external rotation of your shoulders, which in turn opens your chest and increases your range of motion overhead and to the side.
Doorway Chest Stretch
How to Do It Stand about 6 inches in front of a doorframe with hands resting at your sides. Place your palms on the frame, with elbows pointing toward the floor and slightly below shoulder height. Step forward, inch by inch, toward the doorframe until you begin to feel a gentle stretch across your chest. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Take a step back and gently release, returning hands to your sides. Repeat three times.
Why It’s Important This opens the chest, improving posture and pliability of the skin and muscle tissue during wound healing.
Shoulder-Blade Squeezes
How to Do It Stand erect with arms at a slight V and palms facing the ceiling. Elbows should be below shoulder level, pointing toward the floor. Keep your neck relaxed and your spine long as you push your shoulder blades slightly downward, then gently squeeze them together. Hold for five seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Why It’s Important This stretch helps increase shoulder-blade mobility, opens your chest, and improves posture, according to Shroyer.
Seated Side Bends
How to Do It Sitting on a chair, clasp your hands together in front of you. Slowly lift your arms over your head while straightening them as much as you’re able. Keeping your arms overhead, slowly bend your trunk to the right and hold for three deep breaths. Return to starting position, and then repeat on the left side. Repeat five to seven times for each side. Tip: This helps open up the rib cage, which can be especially important for patients who have had radiation, says Shroyer.
Why It’s Important As a foundation of the upper body, rib-cage movement and flexibility is important in maintaining overall upper body posture and mobility. Side-bending assists with various everyday tasks, such as removing items from a high shelf or grabbing your coffee from a drive-through window.
Upper Body Rotation
How to Do It In a seated position, cross your arms over your chest, relaxing your shoulders. Slowly twist your body to the right, bringing your right shoulder back and your left shoulder forward. Let your head follow your shoulders. Hold while breathing deeply three times, then return to center and repeat on left side. Repeat three to five times for each side.
Why It’s Important Rotation is a key movement pattern, used frequently while walking or to look over your shoulder while backing out of the driveway.
RELATED: 8 Things Not to Say to Someone Who’s Had a Mastectomy
The Takeaway
After breast cancer surgery, gentle stretching exercises can help ease stiffness, increase arm and shoulder motion, and enhance daily activities. Moving regularly will boost your recovery and help prevent postoperative discomfort. Always talk with your doctor before starting new stretches or exercises.
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Resources We Trust
- Mayo Clinic: Coping With Pain After Breast Surgery
- Cleveland Clinic: Breast Cancer Surgery
- American Cancer Society: Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome
- Breast Cancer Now: Ongoing Pain After Breast Surgery, Lymph Node Removal or Radiotherapy
- University of Michigan Health: Chronic Pain After Mastectomy and Chest Surgery
- Pruthi S. Coping With Pain After Breast Surgery. Mayo Clinic. December 7, 2022.
- Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome. American Cancer Society. March 29, 2024.
Ryland J. Gore, MD, MPH
Medical Reviewer
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Gore previously served on the board of directors for Every Woman Works, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women and help them transition into independence and stability from common setbacks. Gore served as the chairwoman of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign in Atlanta for three years (2019 to 2021). She is currently the co-director of Nth Dimensions’ Strategic Mentoring Program and the alumni board chair of the Summer Health Professions Educational Program (SHPEP), which is a collaborative effort by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Dental Education Association.
Gore is a highly sought after speaker, consultant, and lecturer on breast cancer and breast health, as well as women’s empowerment topics.
