Studies suggest that breast cancer survivors who have lost muscle mass may benefit from strength training

However, survivors still face many unwanted side effects of cancer and cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal suppression medications used to suppress hormones that can fuel the cancer. breast cancer.

Particularly worrisome side effects are accelerated bone mineral density and muscle mass losses – with gains in body fat. These changes can lead to osteoporosis and fractures, as well as a decrease in strength, a decrease in physical function and overweight and obesity, which can lead to lower survival rates.

These side effects may ultimately reduce overall quality of life and increase the risk of chronic disease and disability among breast cancer survivors.

Over the past 10 years, our laboratory has evaluated the effects of exercise interventions, particularly resistance type exercises, on muscle mass, body fat, bone mineral density, strength, physical function. and the quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

Survivors, already tough, become stronger and stronger

One of our early studies found that breast cancer survivors had lower strength, higher bone mineral density, and physical function compared to women whose age and weight matched had not had cancer. Many breast cancer survivors had limited activity after breast surgery, especially in the upper body, and it has never been advisable to increase the strength of the upper body after the healing of the site (s) of the surgery.

In our three and six month intervention studies using resistance machines for the upper and lower body, we found an improvement of about 25% in the strength of the upper and lower body. Physical function and quality of life also improved, with no adverse effects on lymphoedema or swelling that may occur as a result of lymph node injury, with low or high intensity resistance training. Even women who participated in high intensity resistance training did well tolerated and benefited from the increase in muscle mass above and below the body after three months of age. ;training.

In both studies, women performed three to six months of resistance training on two non-consecutive days each week. In the studies, participants performed two or three sets of eight to twelve repetitions of each exercise. Exercises included chest compression, bicep flexion, triceps compression, vertical pressure, seated row, leg pressure, leg extension, abdominal flexion, and low back hyperextensions. The amount of weight was increased because the women were able to perform 10 to 12 repetitions on all sets.

Although we did not see an increase in bone mineral density in our six-month training study, these measures did not decrease during the training period. It has been shown that bone mineral density decreases by 1-2% each year after menopause, and losses may be greater in the first few years of menopause in healthy women. Therefore, being able to maintain bone mineral density in breast cancer survivors is a positive outcome, especially in the upper body, which is more susceptible to cancer treatment and disuse losses.

A limited number of studies have evaluated resistance training to bone mineral density in survivors. Of these studies, only the maintenance of bone mineral density was found.

In studies with healthy premenopausal women, they have been able to increase bone mineral density through resistance training. The benefits are greatest when resistance training is combined with high impact activities such as jumping, jumping and plyometrics. Plyometry is an exercise that requires jumping and climbing in a continuous motion. This involves rapid stretches and rapid contractions of the muscles.

In postmenopausal women and some breast cancer survivors, the greatest increase in bone mineral density is seen when resistance training is associated with medications that help strengthen the bones.

More benefits on the horizon with more choices of exercises

In our third interventional study, we incorporated high-impact exercises with a variety of different load models, as unusual load models were found to be more beneficial for improving bone mineral density than constant-tension exercises, such as than resistance training.

This study included a six-month resistance training circuit combining a variety of high-impact exercises to provide women with unusual loading patterns. Exercises included lunges, squats, jumping jacks, burpees, push-ups, dumbbell rows, mountaineers, step-ups, bicep curls, tricep extensions, running on foot, high levees and boards. Women have progressed to more impactful versions of these exercises over the past six months. The exercise sessions lasted 45 minutes and ended twice a week.

During this intervention, we used a group exercise format, with many breast cancer survivors expressing their preference to exercise with another person or in a group rather than exercising alone.

We compared this functional impact training program to a yin yoga program, or slower yoga in which postures are held for longer periods of time, consisting of non-weight bearing stretching and relaxation postures. . We again assessed effects on body composition, bone mineral density, resistance, physical function, and quality of life over the six-month period.

We are currently analyzing the data from this project, but so far the results look promising. Functional impact training and yin yoga have both improved the strength, physical function and quality of life of the lower body. The functional impact training had the added benefit of improving upper body strength, which is very important in the population with breast cancer. Unfortunately, the functional impact training program failed to improve body composition or bone mineral density.

These results, as well as previous research, highlight how important it is for health care providers to ensure that their patients participate in a type of exercise that can improve body composition, strength and health. , the physical function and, ultimately, the quality of life. A number of exercises and programs are offered to women. Our studies show that yin yoga and low-intensity resistance training can bring benefits to yoga for women who want to start with yoga and progressively move toward more moderate to more vigorous activities.

Studies also suggest that women can get better benefits with more intense resistance training and functional intensity training including intervals of strength and aerobics exercises.

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Intense strength training benefits postmenopausal women with low bone mass