If you are a breast cancer survivor, yoga is a fantastic way to stretch your tight muscles and regain flexibility. Yoga instructors also offer gentle guidance as well as deep relaxation, which can be beneficial for people who have undergone surgery or treatment. Yoga classes can be found through your local hospital or at various community centers.
Yoga has many benefits for breast cancer survivors, but it’s not just about the physical aspect of practice — it’s also a great opportunity to come together with other people recovering from the same experience and work towards better quality of life.
Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors: Physical Aspects
A breast cancer survivor who has undergone surgery will likely experience some limitations due to a lack of upper body mobility. Yoga can be an excellent way to stretch and strengthen the chest and shoulders, which are commonly affected by the surgery. Additionally, back pain, caused by months of being inactive or in poor posture, can be alleviated by a consistent yoga practice. Those with arm and shoulder pain from time spent lying in bed during treatment can also benefit from yoga. Yoga provides excellent stimulation of the lymphatic system and encourages muscle tone, thus easing the swelling associated with treatment.
Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors: Emotional Aspects
Yoga offers a unique opportunity to share one’s experience with other people who have gone through the same journey. In addition, yoga can encourage creative expression as it focuses on self-discovery and self-improvement. Yoga also helps survivors achieve balance due to the incorporation of breathing techniques — a proven method for chronic stress relief, or “chronic stress” as it is often called by traumatized survivors.
Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors: Social Aspects
Many breast cancer survivors will find themselves in solitary confinement during their treatment, which can be very isolating, especially when dealing with a serious illness that affects many aspects of life.
