Jessie J’s 1 Simple Habit After Breast Cancer Surgery Is Oncologist-Approved—Here’s Why

Singer Jessie J revealed earlier this month that she has breast cancer, but now, she's getting candid with fans about recovering from recent breast cancer surgery, along with all of the emotions that come with it. Just yesterday, she posted a series of photos on her Instagram of herself post-op, along with a caption detailing her recovery.

“This post is some of the honest lows and highs of the last 48 hours,” Jessie wrote in the caption. “I will always show the good and hard bits of any journey I go through.” After thanking her healthcare providers and medical care team, Jessie shared that she’s now home, resting, and awaiting her biopsy results.

When Jessie first announced her "early" breast cancer diagnosis, she hinted to fans that she may have to get a mastectomy (i.e., a surgical procedure to remove breast tissue), joking that this is "a very dramatic way to get a boob job," and that she planned to "come back with massive tits."

Among some of the personal photos she shared—including one of her lying in her hospital bed and singing before surgery—was a snapshot of a pamphlet titled "Exercises After Breast Cancer Surgery." While Jessie didn’t specifically mention anything about exercises she's partaking in post-operation, oncologists says this is actually a vital part of the surgery recovery process.

Here, learn the top exercises oncologists suggest post-breast cancer surgery, and why it's so important for healing.

First, what does breast cancer surgery recovery look like? 

This will all depend on the type that you get. For example, people who get a lumpectomy (i.e., where the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue are removed) or sentinel node surgery (i.e., removal of lymph nodes where cancer is likely to spread) will typically recover within two to three weeks, says Kelly Hunt, MD, an oncologist in the Department of Breast Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“During that time, the patient is not debilitated; however, they will feel tired,” says Janie Grumley, MD, breast surgical oncologist and director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center at Providence Saint John’s Center and associate professor of surgery at Saint John’s Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Grumley adds that most people can do “light activities” at this point.

But a double mastectomy, aka when both breasts are removed, is a different story. "That is a lot more for people to recover from," Dr. Hunt says, adding it can take anywhere from four to six weeks or longer to recover.

Plus, there are follow-ups to consider. Your surgeon may place drainage tubes in your chest or abdomen after surgery that need to be checked out frequently. And "those drains can make it harder for people to get around," Dr. Hunt adds, and may be in place for one to three weeks or longer post-op, Dr. Grumley says.

Recovery also often includes seeing your surgeon to go over recovery plans or the next phase of treatment, which may involve reconstructive surgery (i.e., breast implants), chemotherapy, or radiation, says Dr. Hunt. "There are quite a few touch-points for patients with their team of doctors," she adds.

This is why experts agree: You have to stay moving

Turns out, the call to exercise is not just for aesthetics: It's a "vital" part of the recovery process from breast cancer surgery, per Dr. Hunt. "If [people] don't start these exercises early, scar tissue that forms can cause challenges for them in the long run in terms of arm mobility, shoulder mobility, and chest wall function," she adds.¹ While this scar tissue is perfectly natural, it can become tight over time, Dr. Hunt says, so "if people don't exercise or stretch, that scar tissue will cause issues."

The types of exercises you do will depend on the surgery you had. "With patients with mastectomies, we usually give them exercises that are not as aggressive as those who had lumpectomies and sentinel node surgery," says Dr. Hunt. Per the American Cancer Society, it might just be the following:

• Repeatedly lifting a stick or broom handle above your head
• Shoulder blade stretches
• Shoulder blade squeezes
• Chest wall stretches
• Side bends

“The main thing is to try to get good mobility around the shoulder,” Dr. Hunt says. And while these moves can help people get back into their usual fitness routine, she says patience is key. "We don't want people to immediately go back to the exercises they were doing before," she adds. "It will be painful if you try to go back too quickly." Slow and steady is the goal.

Other breast cancer surgery recovery tips

Remember: Everyone is different, so everyone's recovery will look different, too. Your healthcare provider can help you come up with the best post-op healing plan. But in the meantime, oncologists say these tips can help recovery go a little more smoothly:

• Stay hydrated. Hydration is “critical” to the recovery process, says Dr. Hunt. “If you’re not staying well-hydrated, you’ll be more fatigued,” she adds. (However, she notes that some post-surgery fatigue is to be expected.)
• Eat small meals. Dr. Hunt says this is also vital for good recovery. “When you’re healing from surgery, you need extra calories,” she says. “I encourage people to eat several small meals and spread them out to get calories throughout the day.”
• Try to keep active. It’s tempting to want to be in bed, but Dr. Hunt says it’s important to move regularly. “We don’t want people to stay in bed,” she says. “That makes recovery harder.” She also encourages people to start walking around ASAP, even on the day they had surgery or the day after. "The earlier they mobilize, the faster they recover," she adds
• Use over-the-counter pain medication as needed. Dr. Grumley says that medications like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help ease post-surgery soreness and pain.
• Go to physical therapy, as prescribed. “Physical therapy is definitely helpful for recovery,” Dr. Hunt says. They can give you pointers on doing exercises correctly, so you don't accidentally injure yourself.

The bottom line

The exercises that providers recommend post-breast cancer surgery are not just for aesthetics or overall fitness goals—they're to help you recover faster and better. Stretches and moves targeting your shoulders, chest wall, and back can help reduce stiffness, pain, and keep scar tissue from toughening up. They can also help preserve your mobility long term.

As for Jessie, it seems recovery is going well: She's already posted on Instagram about releasing a new acoustic song. “You really thought ADHD Aries fire-breathing, dragon face, controlling, workaholic little old me wasn’t gonna have some new content to share while I’m off throwing hands at cancer?!” she wrote. "And it’s me still posting it all."