In Phase 2, you may start to notice you are feeling better each week. You might be doing more around the house, getting out for short outings, or feeling more confident with gentle movement. However, your body is still healing, and your energy, comfort and capacity may still fluctuate from day to day. 

Continue to Pace Yourself 

• Even when you start to feel better, it is important to continue building rest into your day. This might include sitting, lying down, or sleeping between daily activities, short walks, appointments or outings. 

• Try not to wait until you feel exhausted before resting. Planning rest before and after activity can help you do more overall, without overdoing it. 

Keep Using Your Supports 

• Continue to use the supports you set up in the early phase of recovery. This may include help with meals, household tasks, driving, shopping, school drop-offs, or anything that still feels too much. 

• It can also be helpful to remind your family or household members that you are still recovering. Once you look well and start doing some normal tasks again, it is easy for others to forget that your body is still healing on the inside. 

Continue Lymphoedema Prevention and Management 

• Continue with any daily lymphoedema prevention or management strategies such as gentle self-massage of your arms and the gentle movement exercises prescribed in this program. This remains important even if you now have full flexibility in your shoulder or feel that your arm movement has returned to normal.