Effects of Lymph Drainage on Patients With Axillary Web Syndrome

Effects of a Physical Therapy Program Combined With Manual Lymphatic Drainage on Shoulder Function, , and Pain in Breast Cancer Patients With Axillary Web Syndrome Following Axillary Dissection: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of a physical therapy program combined with manual lymphatic drainage on shoulder pain and function, quality of life, lymphedema incidence in breast cancer patients with axillary web syndrome following axillary dissection: A randomized controlled trial.

This study's objective is to assess the effectiveness of physical therapy (PT) combined with manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) on shoulder pain and function, lymphedema, visible cords, and quality of life (QOL), compared to physical therapy alone, in subjects with breast cancer and suffering of axillary web syndrome (AWS).

Inclusion Criteria:

• had a breast cancer dissection with lymphadenectomy and/or sentinel lymph node biopsy and a subsequent appearance of AWS (diagnosed by physical examination and also by using the Screening Test AWS (ST-AWS)) [35].

  • suffering of pain that exceeds 6-8 points (measured by the numeric rating scale (NRS)) in the region of the cording on the upper/lower arm, elbow, and dorsum site, and
  • have visible or palpable cords in the arm or breast.

Exclusion Criteria:

• suffering of both acute thrombosis and lymphedema,

  • suffering of skin issues like infections or musculoskeletal conditions like adhesive capsulitis, rheumatoid arthritis, pectoral muscle tightness, and diseases of the rotator cuff, and/or
  • having cording that doesn't involve an arm and only affects the chest or side of the thorax.