Maria Palacios
Research Mentor(s): David Lipps
Mentor Department: Movement Science
Authors: Maria Palacios, David Lipps
Session: Session 2 (10:00am – 10:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 51
Abstract
Many breast cancer survivors take the mastectomy route to treat the illness, removing the entirety of the breast soft tissue. Breast reconstruction is a way to ensure psychological well-being after removing the breast by restoring its image and feel; there are various methods to do this, one of them being immediate breast reconstruction. Some studies have found a lack of strength and range of motion in the adduction after an immediate breast reconstruction. However, their methods were not able to separate the psychological and physiological perceptions of the shoulder deficits. The purpose of this study is to see if there is a correlation between shoulder morbidity and immediate breast reconstruction. This way, aiding in finding the best way to perform the reconstruction in terms of not hindering the quality of life. Knowing the physical effects would help patients decide the reconstruction method that best balances their health and budget. To do this, various multiple body-worn inertial measurement units (IMUs) were placed on the patients before and after surgery (three months and a year) to measure the percentage of the day they spent with their arms above a certain angle. A statistical analysis is then carried out to see if there is a correlation between range of movement and the reconstruction procedure. It is predicted that patients will spend a lower percentage of their days with their arms raised above the selected angles. Further analysis of the data is yet to be done to confirm this.
