Assessment of shoulder mobility in women over 60 years of age after one-sided mastectomy

• Main Authors: Anna Włoch, Marek Żak, Anna Opuchlik, Małgorzata Biskup, Jarosław Fabiś
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Univeristy of Physical Education in Krakow 2017-01-01
• Series: Rehabilitacja Medyczna
• Subjects: mastectomy; shoulder; muscle strength; Range of Motion (ROM); aged
• Online Access: http://rehmed.pl/gicid/01.3001.0009.5480

The overall risk of contracting various diseases, including breast cancer, increases with age. An on-going process of population ageing challenges modern physiotherapy with the need to have functional capacity in older people appreciably enhanced. The issue of anthropometric assessment of the range of motion and shoulder muscle strength is presently much underrated in the physical rehabilitation management of women patients after radical one-sided mastectomy. The study aimed to assess the functional mobility of a shoulder expressed as a range of motion, in conjunction with the assessment of shoulder muscle strength, in women patients over 60 years of age after radical one-sided mastectomy. The study comprised 24 patients (mean age 65 years) recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation, Holy Cross Cancer Centre, Kielce. All patients had undergone modifi ed radical mastectomy using the Madden technique, and an adjuvant therapy. The shoulder range of motion, i.e. flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation, was evaluated by a goniometer. Elevation, protraction and retraction movements were evaluated using an anthropometric device. A dynamometer was applied to assess the strength of select muscle groups within the shoulder during elevation, protraction and retraction motions. Statistical analysis was made with the aid of STATISTICA 12.0 software, having adopted a 0.05 alpha level as statistically signifi cant. The movements of fl exion, abduction and external rotation of the upper extremity were signifi cantly reduced on the mastectomy side. The range of motion and muscle strength during shoulder elevation, protraction and retraction were significantly diminished on the operated side (12% - 14%), compared to the non-operated one. 1. Functional mobility of the shoulder was signifi cantly reduced on the mastectomy side. 2. Results of the present study highlight the need to extend the scope of rehabilitation regimens offered to older women after radical one-sided mastectomy.