Functional Impairments Post Breast Cancer Surgery: A Correlational Study

Physical impairments in upper limb following breast cancer surgery and/or radiation therapy have been documented in the literature. However, the extent of functional limitations in daily tasks has not been studied to a large extent. Among the measures studied for functional performance are upper extremity functional index (UEFI), Disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) and International Classification of Functioning (ICF) corset for breast cancer. The functional limitations may be attributed to shoulder joint restrictions, lymphedema and sensory impairments. Thus, a correlational study was designed to learn the degree to which these questionnaires can measure the limitations in activities of daily living in individuals who have undergone breast cancer surgery.