Effect of 36 combined physical exercise sessions on the range of motion and handgrip strength of mastectomized women undergoing breast cancer treatment

Abstract

Purpose: to verify the influence of 36 sessions of a combined exercise protocol (resistance exercise with dumbbells and flexibility exercises for upper limbs) on the range of motion of the glenohumeral joint and handgrip strength of mastectomized women undergoing treatment of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: 37 female volunteers aged between 31 and 76 years, physically inactive who were being treated for breast cancer through adjuvant therapies were randomized into 2 groups (experimental, n=17; control, n=20). The volunteers in the experimental group underwent 36 sessions of a combined exercise protocol (resistance exercise with dumbbells and flexibility exercises for upper limbs), whereas the volunteers in the control group only continued with conventional cancer treatment. Both groups were evaluated before the start (pre-test) and one day after the end of the 36 combined exercise sessions of the exercise group (post-test). Results: The Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test demonstrated a significant improvement in the exercise group compared to the control group for the variables of handgrip strength, shoulder extension, medial shoulder rotation, and shoulder lateral rotation (p<0.05). Conclusion: The combined exercise protocol had a positive influence on the handgrip strength and improved flexibility for the movements of horizontal shoulder abduction, medial shoulder rotation, shoulder lateral rotation. However, there was no effect on the movements of shoulder flexion, shoulder extension, and horizontal shoulder adduction.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• resistance training
• flexibility
• strength