Musculoskeletal benefits of early physical therapy in post-mastectomy patients.

Objective: Determine the musculoskeletal benefits of early physical therapy in post-mastectomy patients. Method: The physical therapy program was started, with the consent of post-mastectomy patients at the Military Hospital of Women's Specialties and Neonatology, recording the evaluations of range of mobility and muscle strength, starting the therapy in the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, with low-intensity isometric exercises for one week, active mobilizations in the second and third week and isotonic exercises with active mobilizations in the fourth and fifth weeks (study group). Likewise, before starting the research project, post-mastectomy patients who had not undergone any physical therapy program were identified. (control group). Results: In the early physical therapy program, the statistical data of the sample were analyzed, which was made up of 19 patients from the study group and 9 patients from the control group, in which an average age of 53.21±11.86 years was obtained. in the study group and 50.44±9.95 years in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.26), regarding demographic aspects; no situations were found that limited the investigation; Likewise, it was identified that the surgery with the highest incidence was the right modified radical mastectomy, consequently laterality being more frequent, likewise in the analysis of variance in the measurement results in the progress in the improvement of ranges of mobility and of muscle strength, a statistically significant difference was obtained (p< 0.0001), with positive differences in the improvement of the patients in the study group compared to the patients in the control group. Conclusions: Early physical therapy in post-mastectomy patients produces musculoskeletal benefits that help improve the range of motion of the affected thoracic limb and increase muscle strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]