My favorite upper body exercise after breast cancer 💪


Hi Reader,

After breast cancer treatment, regaining upper body strength is key to optimal shoulder function. One exercise that helped me more than any other? Rows.

Rows are helpful because they:

✔ Improve posture

✔ Reduce shoulder and upper back tension

✔ Can be done easily with minimal equipment

Here are a few variations depending on what you have:

1) Resistance Band → Banded Row

Perfect if you don’t have weights — just anchor a band around your feet and pull back, keeping your shoulders down and back.

2) Single Dumbbell → Tripod Row

Use a bench or sturdy chair for support with one arm. Keep your back flat and row one dumbbell squeezing your shoulder blade as you pull the weight toward your side.

3) Two Dumbbells → Bent-Over Row

For more of a challenge, use two dumbbells. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat, and and row both weights at the same time.

If you’d like more exercises like this, stay tuned — I’ll be sharing more soon about my guided 12-week program, Thriver Strength. 💜

Keep active!

Dr. Erica

Breast Cancer Thriver & Chiropractor

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Breast Cancer Rehab

From managing the side effects of treatment to rebuilding strength and thriving in survivorship, join me on this journey as we heal together. - Dr. Erica, Breast Cancer Thriver & Chiropractor

Read more from Breast Cancer Rehab

Hi Reader, My surgeons and oncologists were an essential part of my cancer care. But as I moved through treatment, I had a lot of questions about what healing looks like beyond the medical side of care. I didn’t always have clear answers, and I spent a lot of time trying to understand what may have contributed to my diagnosis, and what I could do to support my health moving forward. These are 5 books that helped me navigate that process in different ways: 1. Radical Remission Explores cases...

Hi Reader, After breast cancer treatment, walking is one of the simplest ways to start moving again. One way to make your walks more challenging—and support strength and bone health at the same time—is something called rucking, which just means walking with weight. It’s an easy way to turn a regular walk into more of a strength-building activity. Different ways to try rucking There are a few different options: 1) Regular Backpack (DIY option)This is the most budget-friendly way to start. You...

Hi Reader, Have you ever looked at a bottle of sunscreen or moisturizer and wondered...is this actually safe? After a breast cancer diagnosis, I've become a lot more intentional about what I put in and on my body. One of my favorite tools is the EWG Healthy Living app. It’s free, super easy to use, and lets you scan barcodes or search products to see how they rate. What you can check with it You can use it to check things like: Sunscreen ☀️ Body lotion 🧴 Shampoos 💆♀️ Laundry detergent 🧺...