The effect of long-term gymnastic exercises on body composition changes in women after mastectomy

Abstract

This study describes the effects of regular 4-year-long rehabilitation exercises based on a 45 min exercise session 3 times/w, on changes in body composition of 23 postmenopausal women (experimental group - E) following mastectomy. Anthropometric measurements and body composition (BIA method) were compared between the E women and a control (C) group of non-exercising women (N = 20) who underwent the same surgical procedure. Following four years of regular exercise, significant increase in body cell mass (BCM) (kg, %) and intracellular water (ICW) (1) was observed ( P< 0.05), whereas the content of extracellular water (ECW) (%) and extracellular mass (ECM) (kg) decreased ( P< 0.05). Body mass, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass (FM) (kg, %), did not change significantly. Central fat deposition measured by waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and the waist circumference increased ( P< 0.05), whereas hip circumference did not change. Compared to the C group the E group had a lower BCM, BMI, FM (kg, %), ECW (l, %) and ECM (kg) ( P< 0.05), and a higher total body water (TBW) (%), fat-free mass (FFM) (%) and BCM (%) content ( P< 0.05). Hence, regular exercise may have a positive effect on the abovementioned factors which are considered among breast cancer risk factors after mastectomy.