title: Active exercises utilizing a facilitating device in the treatment of lymphedema resulting from breast cancer therapy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reduction in volume of arm lymphedema secondary to breast cancer therapy utilizing an exercise facilitating device. Twenty-one women with arm lymphedema resulting from the surgical and radiotherapeutic treatment of breast cancer were randomly selected. Evaluation was made by water-displacement volumetry before and after each session. The patients were submitted to a series of active exercises using a facilitating device for four 12-minute sessions with intervals of 3 minutes between sessions in the sitting position with alignment of the spinal column. The lymphedematous arm was maintained under compression using a cotton-polyester sleeve. The active exercising device used was a mobile flexion bar fixed on a metal base at a height of 30 cm from the tabletop and at a distance of 10 cm from the patient's body. The paired t-test was utilized for statistical analysis with an alpha error of 5% (p-value ≤ 0.05) being considered significant. The initial mean volume of the arms was 2,089.9 and the final volume was 2,023.0 mL with a mean loss of 66.9 mL (p-value <0.001). In conclusion, active exercises utilizing facilitating devices can contribute to a reduction in size of lymphedematous limbs.
authors.affiliation: Lato Sensu Post Graduation Course on Lymphovenous Rehabilitation of the Medicine School in São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP) and Research CAPES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Guerreiro Godoy
authors.forename: Antonio Helio
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Oliani
authors.forename: Jose Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pereira de Godoy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome