Kelsey Ward
Research Mentor: David Lipps
Mentor Department: Movement Science, Kinesiology
Author(s): Kelsey Ward, Chun-Kai Tang, David Lipps
Session: Session 6 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 130
Abstract
Many breast cancer survivors experience shoulder pain and restricted mobility after treatment. The underlying mechanisms that are causing the pain are not fully understood. One potential pain contributor is altered nerve function following surgical procedures or radiation. The purpose of this study is to investigate if nerve stiffness in the upper extremities in breast cancer survivors contributes to post treatment shoulder pain. Ultrasound shear wave elastography was used to image nerves in the wrist, forearm, elbow, and neck. The velocity of these shear waves acquired using an ultrasound transducer is a proxy measurement of nerve stiffness. Participants provided information on site(s) and level of pain to compare against the imaging. Findings indicate that breast cancer survivors who experience shoulder pain may have increased nerve stiffness in their upper extremities. These early findings support the idea that altered nerve tissue may contribute to post-treatment pain. This study indicates that ultrasound shear wave elastography has clinical utility to track nerve related changes after radiation therapy. An improved understanding of nerve stiffness and how it contributes to pain can help form targeted rehabilitation programs to prevent pain and limited mobility in breast cancer survivors post treatment.
