Effect of active resistive exercise on breast cancer-related lymphedema: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the differences between the effects of complex decongestive physiotherapy with and without active resistive exercise for the treatment of patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL).

DESIGN

Randomized control-group study.

SETTING

An outpatient rehabilitation clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients (N=40) with diagnosed BCRL.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomly assigned to either the active resistive exercise group or the nonactive resistive exercise group. In the active resistive exercise group, after complex decongestive physiotherapy, active resistive exercise was performed for 15min/d, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. The nonactive resistive exercise group performed only complex decongestive physiotherapy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The circumferences of the upper limbs (proximal, distal, and total) for the volume changes, and the Short Form-36 version 2 questionnaire for the quality of life (QOL) at pretreatment and 8 weeks posttreatment for each patient.

RESULTS

The volume of the proximal part of the arm was significantly more reduced in the active resistive exercise group than that of the nonactive resistive exercise group (P<.05). In the active resistive exercise group, there was significantly more improvement in physical health and general health, as compared with that of the nonactive resistive exercise group (P<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For the treatment of patients with BCRL, active resistive exercise with complex decongestive physiotherapy did not cause additional swelling, and it significantly reduced proximal arm volume and helped improve QOL.