The effect of exercise perception on upper extremity functions and quality of life in patients with and without lymphedema after breast cancer treatment

This study was conducted with 59 patients with breast cancer who applied to Süleyman Demirel University Research and Practice Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic in order to examine the exercise perceptions of patients who developed and did not develop lymphedema after breast cancer treatment. In our study, the Exercise Benefit/Barriers Scale (EBBS) was applied to all patients in order to determine the exercise perceptions of the patients. Body Awareness Questionnaire was applied to evaluate the body awareness of the patients. The Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), Shoulder, Pain and Disability Scale (SPADI), normal joint range of motion (ROM) measurement, circumference measurement, and the Lymphedema Quality of Life-Arm (LYMQOL) Scale were used to assess upper extremity functionality. When the two groups with and without lymphedema were compared, a significant difference was found between the EBBS-Total and EBBS-Benefit values of the groups (p<0.05). When the DASH scores of the groups were compared, a significant difference was found between the two groups (p<0.05). A significant difference was found between the SPADI-Disability scores of the groups (p<0.05). Elbow flexion, supination and wrist joint movements in all directions were lower in the lymphedema group in upper extremity ROM measurements. There is a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05). A weak positive correlation was found between DASH and EBBS in the lymphedema group (p<0.05). A moderate positive correlation was found between EBBS and LYMQOL scores (p<0.05). LYMQOL-21. There was a moderate negative correlation between the questions (p<0.05). A weak negative correlation was found between EBBS and shoulder flexion, wrist extension and radial deviation (p<0.05). A moderate positive correlation was found between EBBS and SPADI-Disability scale in the group without lymphedema (p<0.05). Conclusion; A moderate correlation was found between exercise perceptions, upper extremity functions and quality of life of patients who developed lymphedema after breast cancer. Keywords: Breast Cancer, Lymphedema, Exercise Perception, Function, Quality of Life, Body Awareness