Effects of Rehabilitation and Kinesio Taping to Prevent Axillary Web Syndrome After Breast Cancer Surgery

Kinesio tape, is an elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive that is purported to ease pain and disability from athletic injuries and a variety of other physical disorders. The application of Kinesio Tex Tape facilitates the opening of microvalves due to a dynamic pressure variation due to alteration in skin density. This decompression activates lymphatics in the dermis and improves lymphatic flow. The end result is a tissue inflammation and swelling reduction.It has been applied at the end over every session after lymphatic dreinage (see below).

Lymphatic drainage is a type of manual manipulation of the skin based on the hypothesis that it will encourage the natural drainage of the lymph, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart. The lymph system depends on intrinsic contractions of the smooth muscle cells in the walls of lymph vessels (peristalsis) and the movement of skeletal muscles to propel lymph through the vessels to lymph nodes and then to the lymph ducts, which return lymph to the cardiovascular system. Manual lymph drainage uses a specific amount of pressure and rhythmic circular movements to stimulate lymph flow.