THE IMPACT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY ON THE FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY OF PATIENTS WITH SHOULDER JOINT PAIN SYNDROME DURING THE PALLIATIVE STAGE OF BREAST CANCER TREATMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2221-1217-2025-2-01Keywords:
physical therapy, palliative care, breast cancer, shoulder pain syndrome, quality of life, functional independenceAbstract
Breast cancer (BC) remain a prevalent oncological pathology, with treatment advances extending survival. The palliative stage of BC treatment is characterized by multiple debilitating symptoms, primarily shoulder pain syndrome and loss of functional independence in patients. Physical therapy (PT) plays a crucial role in multidisciplinary care, aimed at improving the quality of life and functional independence, especially for elderly patients in palliative care. Purpose is to evaluate the dynamics of functional indicators in MBN patients with shoulder pain syndrome influenced by a structured PT program. The study involved 8 female patients (mean age 72.5 ± 4.3 years) with breast cancer and a stabilized metastatic process who underwent a 12-week course of physical therapy. Assessments (pre- and postintervention) included the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, goniometry (range of motion, °), Timed Up and Go (TUG, seconds), and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT, meters). The PT program implementation led to a statistically significant improvement in key functional outcomes (p < 0.001): pain intensity during movement decreased from 7.1 ± 0.9 to 3.5 ± 1.1 points; shoulder abduction increased from 70 ± 12° to 115 ± 16°; functional mobility (TUG) shortened from 18.3 ± 3.5 to 12.5 ± 2.8 seconds; and functional endurance (6MWT) increased from 210 ± 35 to 285 ± 40 meters. Individualized PT is a highly effective and safe tool in palliative care, providing clinically significant reduction in shoulder pain, decreased fatigue, and enhanced functional independence for patients.
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