Physical Therapy Treatment for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

65-85% of patients receiving chemotherapy will develop neuropathy in their hands or feet. Neuropathy presents as pain, numbness, tingling, burning, swelling and discomfort that affects quality of life. Currently there is no protocol for treating CIPN.

Physical therapy is helpful for CIPN. Physical therapy techniques such as manual therapy, resistance exercises, stretching and balance training have shown themselves to be effective for similar conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, Morton’s Neuroma, and Plantar Fasciitis. Combining the evidence and putting it into practice, this class will have participants feeling like they can treat patients with CIPN from initial evaluation through discharge with confidence.

This course will cover the background of why chemotherapy causes neuropathy, some of the previous evidence about treating neuropathy, study of outcome measures and tests for evaluating neuropathy, a review of a case series of 20 patients treated at Hollings Cancer Center, and hands on education of the manual therapy technique and resistance band exercise for treating patients with CIPN.