Affiliations: [a] Department of Basics of Physical Therapy, University
School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland | [b] Department of Physiotherapy in Conservative Medicine
and Surgery, University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland
Note: [] Corresponding author: Małorzata Socha, Department of
Basics of Physical Therapy, University School of Physical Education,
Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland. Tel.: +48 71 347 33 42; Fax: +48 71
347 33 50; E-mail: [email protected]
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.
Keywords: Breast cancer, physical activity, mastectomy, body fat mass, rehabilitation exercises
