Evidence Update: Impact of Art Therapies on Breast Cancer Patients
Women with breast cancer suffer from considerable stress related to diagnosis, surgery, and medical treatment. Cancer patients are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine therapies to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and boost their ability to cope with stress. Research in art therapy has shown outcomes such as an increase in self-esteem, improvement in global health, and a decrease in anxiety and depression, https://xanaxtreatanxiety.com. Different types of art interventions have been used to alleviate symptoms and treat the adverse effects in women who were diagnosed with breast cancer. A recent systematic review evaluated the benefits of art therapies on depression and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Thirteen trials with a total of 606 patients were included in the review. Arts therapies were comprised of music therapy interventions, various types of art therapy, and dance/movement therapies. Results suggest that arts therapies seem to have a positive effect on decreasing a patient’s anxiety. Another randomized control trial published in 2006 in the Journal of Palliative and Supportive Care evaluated the effects of art therapy on improving coping resources among young breast cancer patients. The study evaluated 41 women, aged 37–69 years old, with nonmetastatic primary breast cancer, who were referred for postoperative radiotherapy. Each participant was randomized to a study group with individual art therapy for 1 hour/week during postoperative radiotherapy or to a control group. The results revealed an overall increase in coping resources among women with breast cancer after taking part in the art therapy intervention. Katja Boehm, Holger Cramer, Thomas Staroszynski, and Thomas Ostermann. “Arts therapies for anxiety, depression, and quality of life in breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM vol. 2014 (2014): 10329 Öster, I., Svenska, A., Magnusson, E., Thyme, K., Sjõdin, M., Åström, S., & Lindh, J. Art therapy improves coping resources: A randomized, controlled study among women with breast cancer. Palliative and Supportive Care, 4(1), 57-64. (2006)
Evidence Update: Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors
TurningPoint was thrilled to welcome Kristin Campbell, PT, PhD to Atlanta as the guest speaker at our annual rehabilitation course on Prescribing Exercise as Medicine for Breast Cancer on October 25th and 26th. Kristin was a leader at the international multidisciplinary roundtable for the new 2019 Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Patients. The new guidelines provide a description of patients and information on evaluation, prescription and programming for exercise. The most important message of the new guidelines is to avoid inactivity and continue to exercise. They concluded that exercise training is safe for cancer survivors. The new guidelines report on the expected benefits of aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and aerobic plus resistance exercise. Aerobic exercise helps cancer patients reduce anxiety and depression symptoms, with https://nygoodhealth.com/product/ambien/ decrease fatigue and increase quality of life and perceived physical function. The recommendations for aerobic exercise are to perform the exercise at a moderate intensity, three times per week for 30 minute sessions. Resistance exercise can help decrease fatigue, increase quality of life and increase perceived physical function. The guidelines report that performing resistance exercises has no risk of exacerbating lymphedema. The recommendations for resistive exercise are a frequency of two times per week for 2-3 sets using the large muscle groups. These recommendations will serve as guide for professionals working with cancer survivors to help identify a specific exercise prescription to address common side effects of cancer. Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors Consensus Statement from International Multidisciplinary Roundtable CAMPBELL, KRISTIN L.1; WINTERS-STONE, KERRI M.2; WISKEMANN, JOACHIM3; MAY, ANNE M.4; SCHWARTZ, ANNA L.5; COURNEYA, KERRY S.6; ZUCKER, DAVID S.7; MATTHEWS, CHARLES E.8; LIGIBEL, JENNIFER A.9; GERBER, LYNN H.10,11; MORRIS, G. STEPHEN12; PATEL, ALPA V.13; HUE, TRISHA F.14; PERNA, FRANK M.15; SCHMITZ, KATHRYN H.16 Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: November 2019 – Volume 51 – Issue 11 – p 2375–2390 doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002116 https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2019/11000/Exercise_Guidelines_for_Cancer_Survivors_.23.aspx#pdf-link
Evidence Update: Therapeutic horseback riding in breast cancer survivors
Breast cancer treatments often negatively impact upper extremity function and the overall perceived quality of an individual’s life. A 2014 pilot study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine evaluated the physiologic and psychological effects of an equine-assisted therapy protocol in breast cancer survivors. This study consisted of 20 breast cancer survivors who participated in a 16-week equine assisted therapy protocol consisting of 2 hours/sessions of activity per week. All patients were tested before and after the intervention for maximal oxygen consumption, fat mass percentage, total body water percentage, strength of principal muscular groups and quality of life. The therapeutic riding setting included the patient, the horse and the therapist specialized in equestrian rehabilitation. Each riding session consisted of three phases: 1) warm up, horse caring, and grooming, 2) riding, 3) unsaddling and grooming activity. Sessions 1–3 were required to establish the human–horse relationship and to gain a deeper understanding of basic horse management and behavior. Sessions 4–8 provided patients with riding basic elements: mounting and dismounting; position and control on the horse with exercises that help participants to create balance and correct postural lines necessary for mounted work. Sessions 9–20 allowed patients to consolidate the acquired position ability and horse control at walk while sessions 21–32 were structured to improve the ability of autonomous horse management during higher level tasks and with the horse moving at a faster pace. After intervention, the intervention group showed an improvement in oxygen consumption, a decrease in fat mass percentage, and an increase in strength as well as an improved quality of life as measured by the FACIT-F. These results demonstrate the positive effects of equine assisted therapy on both physiological and psychological factors and suggest a new method for rehabilitation intervention strategies after cancer in a nonmedical environment. Cerulli, C., Minganti, C., Santis, C. D., Tranchita, E., Quaranta, F., & Parisi, A. (2014). Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 20(8), 623–629. doi: 10.1089/acm.2014.0061 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24963599
Evidence Update: Mat Based Exercises Improve Bone Density
Osteoporosis and osteopenia affect up to 35.5 million women in the United States, with numbers likely to grow with our aging population. Women who have had breast cancer treatment may be at increased risk for osteoporosis and fracture. Estrogen has a protective effect on bone, and reduced levels of the hormone trigger bone loss. Because of treatment medications or surgery, many breast cancer survivors experience a loss of ovarian function and, consequently, reduced estrogen levels. The benefits of engaging in weight bearing exercises on a mat (like yoga) include better posture, improved balance, enhanced coordination, greater range of motion, higher strength, reduced levels of anxiety, and better gait. Improved posture directly addresses spinal fractures, while all these documented benefits of yoga reduce the risk of falling, which is the main cause of all other osteoporotic fractures. A 2016 article published in the Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation titled “Twelve- Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss” evaluated the effectiveness of selected yoga postures in raising bone mineral density (BMD). The study was conducted over a 10-year time frame and consisted of 741 internet-recruited volunteers comparing pre-yoga BMD changes with post-yoga BMD changes. Bone mineral density improved in spine, hips, and femur of the 227 moderately and fully compliant patients. Study participants completed a 12-minute DVD of 12 yoga poses that were designed to stimulate increased BMD in the lumbar vertebrae, the hip, and the femoral neck. Monthly gain in BMD was found to be significant in spine and femur, suggesting the 12 selected yoga poses studied here appear to be a safe and effective means to reverse bone loss in the spine and the femur. Lu, Y. H., Rosner, B., Chang, G., & Fishman, L. M. (2016). “Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.” Topics in geriatric rehabilitation, 32(2), 81–87. doi:10.1097/TGR.0000000000000085. For more information and to see the 12 Yoga poses: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851231/
