A pilot trial evaluating static postural control after gym and pool exercises in females treated for breast cancer
A pilot trial evaluating static postural control after gym and pool exercises in females treated for breast cancer

Summary/Abstract: Background: Breast cancer (BC) therapies can cause toxic peripheral nerve injury resulting in postural control disorders and increased risk of falling.Aim of the study: To determine the effects of gym and pool exercises on static postural control in female BC survivors. In this regard, advanced stabilometric parameters, including center-of-foot pressure (COP) excursions, rambling, and trembling, evaluated postural control.Material and methods: This single group pilot included 11 females (30-65 years) treated for stage II-III BC who completed chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy after breast-sparing surgery or mastectomy. The intervention consisted of two 45-minute exercise sessions in the gym and one 60-minute session in the pool at least once a week for six weeks. Static postural control measurements were recorded with participants standing with eyes open and eyes closed on a force plate, which recorded the range, root-mean-square (RMS), and mean velocity of COP, trembling, and rambling.Results: The pre-intervention and post-intervention values of stabilometric parameters obtained with eyes closed were not significantly different. However, eyes open measurements showed significant increases in the range, mean velocity, and RMS of COP, the range and RMS of rambling, and the mean velocity of trembling in the medial-lateral direction (P<0.05).Conclusions: The six-week intervention involving gym and pool exercises resulted in static postural control changes in BC survivors. However, the results of this pilot study need to be verified by high-quality randomized clinical trials.

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