THE PRACTITIONER’S PERSPECTIVE

FABIENNE MALIGE
Physiotherapist specialising in post breast cancer work.

Post breast cancer treatment with Winback BACK Series in combination with manual techniques and electric massager offering kneading and rolling.

The protocol changes to suit the different stages of treatment.

In the first stage, the work focusses on rehabilitating movement in the shoulder, essential following medical treatment such as radiotherapy:

• Combatting pain
• Work on scarring
• Freeing up of cording or superficial lymphatic thromboses
• And most importantly, treating lymphatic complications by stimulating the lymph nodes in CET mode with a small gently heated electrode.
• Then using MIX3 gentle thermal mode on painful areas and those with brosis.

In the second stage, treatment focuses on preparation for reconstruction, with major attention paid to making the scarred skin more supple. BACK3 is a great help. If there is lymphoedema, this is treated as with the first stage.

Finally, the treatment is adapted to suit different reconstruction methods.

• Dorsal flap
• Expander followed by a prosthetic
• Liposculpture with liposuction of the abdomen and/ or outer thighs
• Our work consists of drainage, reabsorption of hematomas and work on scarring using DLM following the Schlitz method and the use of BACK3 with MIX, in order to improve circulation and therefore promote the reabsorption of hematomas in the area of the probes and improve scarring.
• Affected patients are treated over a long period of one to two years, with a marked improvement and a speeding up of the treatment process thanks to BACK3, with the use of MIX being essential.

A treatment for after breast cancer has been developed in order to offer a physiological and aesthetic treatment that reduces the symptoms of lymphoedema. The drainage and arm and shoulder stretching exercises done as part of WINBACK Tecar Therapy, significantly reduce the pain caused by lymphoedema. A manual lymphatic drainage treatment is undertaken to increase circulation in the lymph nodes.

With this treatment, Winback is deeply involved in supporting women who have been affected by breast cancer. The aim is to offer women a treatment that has both physiological and aesthetic effects, both lessening their pain and helping them regain their self-confidence.

PATIENT EXPERIENCES

« I started rehabilitation sessions very soon after my total ablation of the left breast and several lymph nodes (D+10). Treatment with Winback brought me real relief; it gave me back full mobility in the shoulder and freed up the lymph cording that was causing the pain and giving me a sensation of heaviness in my left arm. This treatment is very pleasant and I have it twice a week, it is a great help. »
Catherine

« After a lymphocele appeared by the ablation scar on my right breast, resulting in the scar not healing as it should, I was prescribed rehabilitation sessions to treat the scar in preparation for my reconstruction. This reconstruction was in several stages with liposculpture along with the insertion of a prosthetic. The liposculpture was traumatic with huge bruises. I had Winback drainage treatments around the bruises and it made them go away. It’s great as I was having trouble finding a position to sleep in. »
Marie-France

The Winback Women programme offers a variety of treatments carried out by health professionals, combining the physiological and the aesthetic.