Water Exercises Are Beneficial In Improving Quality of Life After Breast Cancer Treatment
Water exercises in the form of swimming, breathing exercises, and exercises performed using water noodles, dumb-bells, and blades can significantly improve the emotional well-being of patients and decrease the negative symptoms associated with breast cancer treatment. These results were published in the journal Integrated Cancer Therapy.
The study was conducted on women aged between 50 and 60 years, who had completed the breast cancer treatment with surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 6 months ago. These women were divided into three groups- first group underwent water exercise program, second group underwent Pilates program, and third group underwent yoga program- for a year. Measurements of quality of life of done for all groups before the start, during and after the study.
All groups were found to benefit from the different forms of exercise interventions. Women who performed water exercises were found to have better emotional health and had fewer negative symptoms of the breast cancer treatment. Women who did yoga reported better social and family well-being.
This is yet another study, that advocates exercises as an integral part of cancer rehabilitation. Therefore, although any form of exercise is beneficial for health and well-being of breast cancer patients, engaging in water exercise may provide additional benefits. Women with breast cancer may also consider yoga as an exercise form to promote their social and family well-being.
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Source: Odynets, T., Briskin, Y., & Todorova, V. (2019). Effects of Different Exercise Interventions on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Integrative cancer therapies, 18, 1534735419880598. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735419880598