Breast cancer survivors now encouraged to embrace strength training, lift weights

Kim Landrum never imagined she would regain her strength after her breast cancer diagnosis.

The 2019 surgery to remove her breast left her with lymphedema, a painful swelling in her armpit.

Though cancer-free, she was barely able to lift her arm.

When her care team recommended an exercise program designed to help manage lymphedema, she hesitated but decided to give it a try.

"I thought my life would never be the same," the Louisville, Kentucky, mom of a 12-year-old son, told ABC News. "But this program changed everything for me."

Lymphedema, a common and debilitating side effect of breast cancer treatment, affects 20 to 30% of women post-surgery, with the risk increasing to 50% if a woman has extensive lymph node removal.

The condition can cause swelling, discomfort, and severely limits mobility, making daily tasks difficult. Landrum recalls that she was too weak to pick up a can and place it on a shelf above her head.

For decades, women with lymphedema were told to restrict the use of their arm and avoid lifting anything heavier than a few pounds for the rest of their lives. This advice, though well-intentioned, was incredibly limiting.

Gardening, playing tennis, even holding a toddler, were all out of the question.

Then, in 2009, expert advice changed with the publication of the Physical Activity and Lymphedema, or PAL, study, led by Katherine Schmitz, a PhD-trained exercise oncology researcher at the University of Pittsburgh.

The PAL study challenged the long-held belief that strength training, especially with increasingly heavier weights, was dangerous for women with lymphedema.

Schmitz and her team recruited 288 breast cancer survivors, half of whom had lymphedema and half who were at risk. The women participated in carefully monitored sessions designed to test the safety and benefits of pumping iron after cancer surgery.

The results suggested that not only was weightlifting safe for women with lymphedema, it also significantly reduced flare-ups and prevented the onset of the condition.

"We cut the number of flare-ups in half," Schmitz noted. "It was truly game-changing."

Jennifer Ligibel, MD, a medical oncologist with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, agreed that the study transformed lymphedema management.

"This study shifted our entire approach,” Ligibel said. “ It gave us a new, scientifically backed way to help our patients improve their quality of life."

Schmitz used her findings to design the Strength After Breast Cancer (SABC) program, a structured exercise regimen specifically for women with lymphedema.

"I knew we needed to get this information out there," Schmitz explained. "Women deserve to know that they can regain their strength and live fuller lives."

A specially trained physical therapist delivers the program in twice-weekly, 30-minute sessions, where participants run through exercises like arm curls, shoulder raises, and chest presses. The focus is on gradually increasing weight and repetitions.

Schmitz emphasized the importance of professional guidance to prevent injury and ensure long-term success.

"It’s crucial that women work with a physical therapist initially," she said. "Once they’ve learned the right techniques, they can continue on their own and reap the benefits for years to come."

Currently, more than 93 clinics throughout the country offer SABC. More than half opened in 2024. Schmitz receives a small yearly stipend for developing the program.

Kelly Wood, the director of research at ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation, a national company that specializes in physical therapy for cancer survivors, said her team has fully embraced SABC.

"We’ve trained over 1,200 physical therapists across the U.S.," Wood said. "The response has been incredible, and we’re seeing more and more women benefit from this approach.

As for Landrum, she now hoists baskets of laundry and bags of groceries without a second thought.

She’s graduated to a group strength training class tailored to breast cancer survivors and she’s toying with the idea of taking barre classes again, something she enjoyed doing before her diagnosis.

"I feel like I’ve got my life back," she said. "This program didn’t just help me physically; it gave me hope."

Liz Neporent is a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.