Breast Cancer and Yoga

With her post-surgery patients, Rosen prefers Iyengar yoga because props such as blankets and belts help them get into poses. “Often, after their illness, women are not standing straight or opening their chests enough. Their chests are sunken in and they’re not getting enough oxygen. Any type of yoga helps.”

Yoga experts say that stretching and contracting muscles helps stimulate the flow of lymph, which helps rid your body of the fluid that collects waste. The largest clusters of lymph nodes are in the armpits, next to the breasts. Poses that involve placing your feet over your head improve general circulation. After a lumpectomy, poses that free up the shoulder area help the healing process.

The medical community, which has been slower than patients to endorse mind-body interventions, are coming around. “I see more yoga being offered at traditional cancer centers. At the very least, doctors are convinced that it does no harm, so they say go ahead and do it,” says Dr. Joel Evans, an assistant clinical professor of ob-gyn at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and a yoga proponent.

While no studies prove, yet, that yoga can shrink or prevent tumors, yoga can help breast cancer patients recover from treatment’s side effects. By increasing agility, stretching sore muscles, reducing stress, easing fatigue and pain, and empowering patients through their participation in their own healing, yoga can be a powerful tool. Says Pruett: “ I look forward to yoga and it relaxes me. I plan on sticking with it and making it part of my life.”

Beth's Advice on Getting Started:

There is no expert consensus on the optimal type of yoga for breast cancer patients and survivors. The best way to start is to try classes until you find a style or instructor that works for you. Many community centers and YMCAs offer low-cost or free yoga classes. Gym memberships often include free yoga classes. A yoga mat can increase your stability and balance and makes lying or kneeling on the floor more comfortable. While special clothing is not required, baggy or thick garments might hinder some movements.