Women With Disability After Breast Cancer - Insights from Yoga

A recent study in Canada looked at a newly developed Yoga Program for women with disability after breast cancer. Significant gaps remain in our understanding of pain, range of motion restrictions, and lymphoedema and their potentially disabling impact on women's everyday lives in relation to arm disability. Often lymphoedema is the main consideration for women, however through the course it was found that pain and range of motion restrictions are often more prevalent and continue to effect everyday life. It was also found that  the emotional burden of this illness is not only significant but also underexplored, particularly with respect to the development of supportive interventions.

Many of the women in the study felt that yoga had a positive influence on many dimensions of their lives and the study suggests that there is a need for multiple, holistic interventions such as yoga.

Insights From an Iyengar Yoga Program for Women With Disability After Breast Cancer. Holistic Nursing Practice; 28(6), 2014, p 353–361. Available on CIAP free to NSW Health Staff.