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Weight Training gains in breast cancer survivors
 Weight lifting has generally been prescribed
for women with
breast-cancer–related lymphedema, preventing
them from obtaining the well-established health benefits of
weight lifting, including increases in
bone density.
Breast-cancer survivors often struggle with a variety of
quality-of-life complaints, including
insomnia,
weight gain, chronic fatigue,
depression and anxiety.
To see if weight training might help boost patients' quality of life,
researchers assigned 86 women who had finished their cancer treatment to either
a
weight-training program or no weight training. Those in the weight-training
group were taught how to perform nine common
weight-based exercises using free
weights and resistance machines to work the muscles of their
chest,
back,
shoulders,
arms,
buttocks,
hips and
thighs. For the first 13 weeks, they
participated in twice weekly, 90-minute supervised exercise sessions that
included
stretching, a
cardiovascular warm-up, and
abdominal and back exercises.
The weight-lifting exercises involved low weights, and one to three new
exercises were added at each session. The number of sets increased from two to
three, with 10 reps in each set, using 2 to 3 pound weights during the first
five weeks. If the women felt OK, more weight was added.
Study Reporting:
-
 The women who trained with weights had
increase in
lean muscle mass, compared with those who did not. Those who
pumped iron also "had a moderately improved quality of life"
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Women in the exercise group, compared to the control group, showed
improvements in
quality of life, cardio-respiratory fitness, strength and
muscle function, according to a report in the International Journal of Sports
Medicine.
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Women in the weightlifting group experienced
fewer exacerbations of their condition and a reduction in symptoms, compared
to the women who did not lift weights. Nineteen women in the control group
experienced worsening lymphedema that required treatment from a physical
therapist, compared to nine in the treatment group. Lymphedema occurs
in as many as 70 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery. Sometimes
lymph nodes in the armpit are removed for cancer testing, which can cause the
clear fluid (lymph) that circulates in the body to build up in the affected
limb. As a result, women must wear a compression sleeve and glove during
waking hours. The benefits seem to outweigh the risks, and a weight-lifting
program may help these women prevent injuries from everyday tasks by boosting
strength in the affected limbs.
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Women in the research group had an increased quality
of life.
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Two or three sessions a week, about 20 or 30 minutes
each time, is acceptable
 If you're being
treated for breast cancer, try to make
exercise (and a
healthy diet) part of your daily routine. Think of exercise and a healthy diet
as another important part of your treatment plan that helps you recover and stay
healthy. Talk to your doctor about how much and how often you should exercise.
Ask around and see if any breast cancer support groups near you have organized
exercise classes. If you can't find an exercise class through a breast cancer
support group, think about joining another exercise class. There's a good chance
the class might be able to give you the
motivation and support to make regular
exercise part of your treatment and recovery. Find the right exercise routine
for YOU and then do your best to stick with it! It can make a difference both
physically and mentally, today and tomorrow.
Dated 25 October 2011
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