YouTube English videos as a source of information on arm and shoulder exercise after breast cancer surgery.

PURPOSE: To examine the reliability, quality and content of YouTube videos on exercises that can be performed after breast cancer (BC) surgery.

METHODS: Videos selected from YouTube using the search terms 'shoulder exercise and BC surgery', 'arm exercise and BC surgery' and 'physiotherapy/physical therapy and BC surgery' were categorised as useful or misleading by a surgeon and a physiotherapist. The videos were analysed using the 5-point DISCERN scale for reliability, the Global Quality Scale for quality and a 10-item scale for comprehensiveness.

RESULTS: Of the 180 videos initially analysed, 82 were included in the study, and 42 (51.2%) were classified as having misleading information and 40(48.8%) as having useful information. The reliability, quality and content scores of the videos containing useful information were higher (p < 0.001). Most of the videos in the useful information group (80%) were uploaded by universities/professional organisations/physicians/physiotherapists, while the majority of those in the misleading information group (47.6%) were uploaded by websites providing independent healthcare information.

CONCLUSION: YouTube can be an important instrument to protect patients from musculoskeletal system complications after BC treatment and improve existing complications. Universities, physicians and physiotherapists should be encouraged to prepare more videos containing full and accurate information on this subject.