title: Breast surgery and neural tissue mechanosensitivity.
abstract: Arm pain is a complication following breast cancer surgery. This study examined the impact of breast surgery on the mechanosensitivity of upper quadrant neural tissues based on responses to a clinical provocation test. The responses of twenty patients to the ULTT 2a were recorded pre-operatively and six weeks post-operatively in terms of the available range of glenohumeral abduction and the area, nature and intensity of symptoms. The results indicated that there was a tendency towards increased neural tissue mechanosensitivity post-surgically, judged by a significant reduction in glenohumeral abduction range and a variance in symptoms in the operated arm. Unexpectedly, range of abduction reduced bilaterally suggesting that central as well as peripheral mechanisms may be involved in this response.
authors.affiliation: Mater Misericordiae Adult Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: Gwendolen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jull