Citation

Lee CE, Warden SJ, Szuck B, Lau YK. Am. J. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2016; 95(8): 561-570.

Affiliation

From the School of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (CEL); School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana (SJW); Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Breast Health Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (BS); and Department of Hematology/Oncology, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (YKJL).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PHM.0000000000000440

PMID

26829081

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 6-week community-based physical activity (PA) intervention on physical function-related risk factors for falls among 56 breast cancer survivors (BCS) who had completed treatments.

DESIGN: This was a single-group longitudinal study. The multimodal PA intervention included aerobic, strengthening, and balance components. Physical function outcomes based on the 4-meter walk, chair stand, one-leg stance, tandem walk, and dynamic muscular endurance tests were assessed at 6-week pre-intervention (T1), baseline (T2), and post-intervention (T3). T1 to T2 and T2 to T3 were the control and intervention periods, respectively.

RESULTS: All outcomes, except the tandem walk test, significantly improved after the intervention period (P < 0.05), with no change detected after the control period (P > 0.05). Based on the falls risk criterion in the one-leg stance test, the proportion at risk for falls was significantly lower after the intervention period (P = 0.04), but not after the control period.

CONCLUSIONS: A community-based multimodal PA intervention for BCS may be efficacious in improving physical function-related risk factors for falls, and lowering the proportion of BCS at risk for falls based on specific physical function-related falls criteria. Further larger trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Language: en