To investigate the efficacy of strength training combined with complex decongestive therapy on lymphedema in breast cancer patients after surgery.

A total of 121 patients with postoperative stage II lymphedema after breast cancer surgery in the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from January 2020 to December 2020 were enrolled for a retrospective analysis, including 61 cases in control group and 60 cases in experimental group. The patients in control group received complex decongestive treatment and traditional limb exercise; the patients in experimental group received additional strength training of upper limbs. At 1, 3, 6, 12 months after treatment, the circumference of the upper limbs on the affected side was measured respectively, and the muscle strength of the affected limb was evaluated by the Constant-Murley scale. The quality of life in breast cancer patients was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) questionnaire. Age and BMI were compared between groups by independent sample t test; education and clinical stage were compared by nonparametric test; tumor location, pathological type and surgical method were compared by χ² test; limb circumference, muscle strength and FACT-B scores were compared using repeated-measure analysis of variance.

(1) The upper limb circumference of the patients in experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (10 cm above the transverse crease of the wrist: comparison between groups, F=6.219, P=0.014; comparison among time points, F=578.971, P<0.001; interaction, F= 62.754, P<0.001; 20 cm above the transverse crease of the wrist: comparison between groups, F=9.526, P=0.003; comparison among time points, F=451.511, P<0.001; interaction, F=54.708, P<0.001; 40 cm above the transverse crease of the wrist: comparison between groups, F= 8.302, P=0.005; comparison among time points, F=777.974, P<0.001; interaction, F=8.224, P<0.001). (2) The muscle strength score of the patients in experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group (comparison between groups: F=35.957, P< 0.001; comparison among time points: F=327.597, P< 0.001; interaction: F=7.842, P< 0.001). (3) The FACT-B score of the patients in experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group (physical well-being: comparison between groups, F=24.865, P<0.001; comparison among time points, F=318.379, P<0.001; interaction, F=16.658, P<0.001; social/family well-being: comparison between groups, F=30.618, P<0.001; comparison among time points, F=348.141, P<0.001; interaction, F=4.118, P=0.004; functional well-being: comparison between groups, F=37.735, P<0.001; comparison among time points, F=530.663, P<0.001; interaction, F=20.687, P<0.001; emotional well-being: comparison between groups, F=13.306, P<0.001; comparison among time points, F=273.385, P<0.001; interaction, F=22.092, P<0.001; breast cancer subscale: comparison between groups, F=5.505, P=0.021; comparison among time points, F=419.971, P<0.001; interaction, F=19.545, P<0.001; total score: comparison between groups, F=107.799, P<0.001; comparison among time points, F=1 535.378, P<0.001; interaction, F=81.933, P<0.001).

Strength training combined with complex decongestive therapy can enhance the muscle strength of affected limbs, significantly improve the efficacy and reduce the severity of upper limb lymphedema, thereby improving the quality of life of breast cancer patients.