Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could accurately predict which post-operative breast cancer patients will go on to develop lymphedema? An online tool proposes to do just that. The Cleveland Clinic Risk Calculator for Lymphedema In 2012 a lymphedema prediction model was published, called the Cleveland Clinic Risk Calculator (ref1). It was designed…
A variety of upper body pain and function disorders are common in patients treated for breast cancer. Nerve disorder side effects can be some of the most severe and difficult to diagnose, due in part to their broad and variable symptoms. Patient awareness, self-advocacy, and cancer rehabilitation is needed to overcome these…
We regularly treat patients for sciatica at our clinics. This is not surprising given that best estimates suggest as many as 1 in 20 people suffer from this condition. Unfortunately, the more common a condition is, the more it seems to attract online misinformation. If you have a specific question about…
Approximately 20-30% of community-living seniors in Canada will fall at least once this year. As we age our risk of falling increases, and resulting injuries become more severe. Most people are well aware of the common strategies for preventing falls, but new research says that we may be overlooking two…
Chemotherapy is not currently considered to be a risk factor for developing lymphedema. Yet there is a small but growing collection of clinical research that appears to indicate otherwise. Is it time to include chemotherapy as a risk factor for lymphedema? How much additional risk might it impart, and is…
Many cancer survivors report cognitive problems following chemotherapy – dubbed ‘chemo brain’, but the underlying causes remain unclear. New data suggests that an inability to sustain attention over time, crucial to normal daily activities and instrumental for other areas of cognitive function, may be to blame. This suggests strategies for combating it….
There is a strong need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to managing the cognitive and physical symptoms of dementias including Alzheimer’s disease. Treating dementia with specially designed exercise therapy programs is an exciting possibility. In this post I outline guiding principles for developing your own dementia exercise program. Medications for dementia offer…
New clinical research suggests that certain types of physical exercise may significantly improve the physical and cognitive symptoms of dementia. Dementia including Alzheimer’s disease is common in our aging population, and represents a growing burden to our health care system and to the lives of family and friends of those…
Innovative techniques are being used to help researchers investigate and understand lymphatic function. Understanding the mechanics of lymph transport can offer valuable insight to patients living with lymphedema, and will lead to better clinical management and new therapeutic targets. Here we provide a brief overview of our current understanding of…
Tips for Healthy Physical Function in Babies No, your baby doesn’t need to hit the gym or the yoga studio! But babies do need to interact with their environments in specific ways to help establish healthy movement patterns. Establishing healthy movement patterns not only prevents physical delays and deficiencies, but…
