title: The effects of complex exercise on shoulder range of motion and pain for women with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was to investigate the effects of complex exercise on shoulder range of motion and pain for women with breast cancer-related lymphedema.
  
  
  METHODS
  69 women participated in this study and then they were randomly allocated to complex exercise group (n = 35) or the conventional decongestive therapy group (n = 34). All subjects received 8 sessions for 4 weeks. To identify the effects on shoulder range of motion and pain, goniometer and visual analog scale were used, respectively. The outcome measurements were performed before and after the 4 week intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 4 weeks, complex exercise group had greater improvements in shoulder range of motion and pain compared with the conventional decongestive therapy group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that complex exercise is beneficial to improve shoulder range of motion as well as pain of the women with breast cancer-related lymphedema. Complex exercise would be useful to improve shoulder range of motion and pain of the women with breast cancer-related lymphedema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do, 220-710, Republic of Korea. roophy@naver.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Hyuck
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012782:Shoulder / Q000502:physiology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method
keywords: Breast cancer; Complex exercise; Lymphedema; Pain; Shoulder range of motion