The Effect of Myofascial Therapy on Shoulder and Trunk Movement Patterns in Breast Cancer Survivors

Breast cancer treatment can lead to secondary upper limb dysfunctions. Myofascial treatment is a promising physical therapy modality for this issue.

A study from Belgium presents a double-blinded randomized controlled trial conducted in a rehabilitation unit of a university hospital to investigate the effect of myofascial therapy in addition to physical therapy on shoulder, trunk, and elbow movement patterns in women with pain and myofascial dysfunctions at the upper limb after breast cancer surgery. The study involved 48 women who received a standard physical therapy program over three months, with the experimental and control groups receiving 12 additional sessions of myofascial therapy or placebo therapy, respectively. The outcomes of interest were movement patterns of the humerothoracic joint, scapulothoracic joint, trunk, and elbow.

The results showed a significant decrease in scapular protraction and anterior tilting after myofascial therapy. However, no beneficial effects on movement patterns of the humerothoracic joint, trunk, and elbow were found.

The study concludes that myofascial therapy in addition to a 12-week standard physical therapy program can decrease scapular protraction and anterior tilting during arm movements, and further research is required to establish the clinical relevance of these results.