EFFECTS OF RESISTANCE EXERCISES AND COMPLEX DECONGESTIVE THERAPY ON ARM FUNCTION AND MUSCULAR STRENGTH IN BREAST CANCER RELATED LYMPHEDEMA

Abstract

The incorporation of resistance exercisesinto the lifestyle of patients with lymphedemais understudied and an emerging interest.We investigated the effectiveness and resultsof adding a moderate intensity resistanceexercise program for 8 weeks in conjunctionwith intensive CDT for 1 or 2 weeks (dependingon severity) on arm volume, arm function,QOL, and muscular strength in patients withbreast cancer-related lymphedema. Thisprospective, pilot trial included forty-fourpatients with a history of breast cancer whowere beginning complex decongestive therapyfor lymphedema. They were assigned to eitherthe intervention (n=22) or control (n=22)groups. The intervention comprised of resistanceband exercises 5 times a week for8 weeks. These were initially supervised duringthe intensive lymphedema treatment, butperformed independently during the studyperiod. Limb volume, muscular strength, andthe European Organization for Research andTreatment of Cancer QOL Questionnaire C30(EORTC QLQ-C30), EORTC-Breast Cancer-Specific QOL Questionnaire (EORTC QLQBR23),and Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, andHand (DASH) questionnaires were assessedat baseline and at 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, theintervention group demonstrated statisticallysignificant differences (p<0.05) in the DASHscore and muscular strength compared to thecontrol group. Our results indicate that upperbody resistance exercise demonstrates a positiveeffect on arm function and muscular strengthwithout increasing arm volume in breastcancer related lymphedema during and shortlypost intensive CDT lymphedema treatment.