Motor Exercises Effect on Improving Shoulders Functioning, Functional Ability, Quality of Life, Depression and Anxiety For Women With Breast Cancer

Abstract

PurposeThis research aimed to study the effects of motor exercises on improving shoulder functioning, functional ability, quality of life, depression, and anxiety in patients. Patients and MethodsA randomized clinical trial in which 70 eligible patients referred to the oncology ward participated in two intervention and control groups. The intervention group (N=35) had been doing motor exercises for five weeks. Before the surgery, two days, and five weeks after surgery, shoulder Range Of Motion (ROM) was measured with a goniometer, and the functional capacity level was measured by the 6-Minute-Walk-Test. Quality of life, depression, and anxiety were measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23; and HADS questionnaires, respectively, at baseline and five weeks after surgery. Descriptive statistics, the T-test, and the Chi-Square t-hotelling model were used to analyze the data. ResultsThe results showed that motor exercises had a significant statistical increase in the distance of 6MWT (P<.001) and ROM (P≤.001) compared to the control group. Moreover, there were significant differences in dimensions of patients’ quality of life, depression, and anxiety in the intervention group, compared to the control group (P<.05). ConclusionMotor exercises had positive effects on improving physical functioning, shoulder ROM, and decreasing patients’ anxiety and depression symptoms, consequently enhancing the quality of life.