The Effect of Electrical and Mechanical Modalities on Pain Intensity, Range of Motion and Lymph Edema After Mastectomy in Female Breast Cancer

Physiotherapy is the main part of rehabilitation program after mastectomy and is used to decrease some side effects of surgery and to improve the function of the affected limb. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of electrical and mechanical modalities on pain intensity, lymph edema and shoulder range of motion in the affected limb after mastectomy in females’ breast cancer. This is a nonrandom quasi-experimental study. 27 mastectomy patients who referred to Shiraz Namazi hospital during autumn 1387 were selected. The sample underwent structured physiotherapy program using Faradic and TENS currents, shoulder mobilization, effleurage massage and exercise. The intervention was done during 12 sessions and each session lasted 90 minutes. Pain, range of motion, and lymph edema were assessed using paired t-test pain intensity, range of motion and lymph edema were compared before and after the intervention. According to the results, pain intensity significantly decreased (from 7.7±1.68 to 3.66±1.88 p=0.000). Range of motion also increased (in flexion from 132.59 ± 23.46 to 146.66± 17.7, in abduction from 102.40± 27.42 to 132.96 ± 16.36 and in external rotation from 67.4±21.67 to 79.62± 11.67). Lymph edema significantly decreased after intervention. The reduction was observed in olecranon (from 3.83±2.22cm to 1.61±1.12cm), in upper arm (from 3.68±2.54cm to 1.56±1.5cm) and in lower arm (from 2.87±2.37cm to 1.16±1.45cm) (p=0.000). Using electrical and mechanical modalities probably decreases pain and lymph edema but increases range of motion of the affected limb considerably in mastectomy patients. This improvement finally resulted in the promotion of function in the affected limb.