Detected early, breast cancer is curable in 90% of cases. Reflecting this, the publicity campaign ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ takes place every year with the joint goal of raising funds for research. Breast cancer refers to a malignant tumor of the mammary gland which in the vast majority of cases arises from the epithelial coverings of the lobules or milk ducts. It is sometimes necessary to remove the mammary gland surgically, also known as a mastectomy. This can be partial (a lumpectomy) or complete. The second option has become less common thanks to advances in treatment.

In the case of a lumpectomy, the location of the scar will vary depending on where the tumor is located, while a mastectomy will leave a scar that is either horizontal or oblique since the entire breast will have been removed.

Improving the quality of healing

This is not an insignificant operation, and Winback energy can prove particularly useful as part of a program to optimize healing. Indeed scarring – the collection of phenomena which lead to the restoration of tissue continuity – involves many cellular and molecular processes that should be well understand. Enhancing the healing of the skin and underlying tissue planes is the main goal of manual therapy. This will avoid the tissue complications and fascial or postural problems that can otherwise occur. Winback energy and its accessories therefore have a role to play in working on the scar from the operation, and preventing any risk of adhesions forming.

If medical conditions permit, Hi-TENS by R-Shock, because it can be easily transported to the person’s home, enables immediate post-operative care with the goal of improving the quality of healing as early as possible. This will be possible directly after the operation, around the scar, to stimulate the adjacent tissues in order to work indirectly on the scar. It will be possible to work directly on the scar after the stitches have healed and any scabs fallen away (typically 2 to 3 weeks after the operation). The goal is to prevent adhesions and reduce the risk of shrinkage.

Work on the fascia

The application of diathermy (the ability of electrical current to create endogenous heat in the tissues it passes through) on the area using Winback energy enables the tissue quality to be improved and has numerous advantages for the practitioner (speed, precision, less exertion for him/her and less pain for the patient). From the first session, practitioners using this technique report impressive results: the tissues relax; the quality of the skin improves and pain is significantly reduced.

Later on, the practitioner can also use 2.0 or 3.0 to support mobility, and therefore the sliding planes of both the pectoral fascia and rib cage, which will enable optimal mobilization of the myoapneurotic structures and the reorganization of the collagen fabric. Finally, the practitioner can maintain a very manual-based approach when treating the scar with the help of Winback bracelets. The aim here is to avoid future pain linked to a loss of costothoracic mobility.