earticle

영어

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a PNF intervention using elastic bands on edema, range of motion (ROM), and pain in post-mastectomy patients with upper limb lymphedema, according to their hand grip type. Methods: The subjects were 14 female patients who were at Stage II lymphedema after undergoing mastectomy for Stage II breast cancer. They were randomly divided into an experimental group (n =7) and a control group (n = 7). Both groups participated in a treatment program four times (one time under the therapist’s instructions and three times as self-exercise) a week for 4 weeks. Both groups repeated an upper limb PNF pattern exercise for 30 min using elastic bands after receiving a manual lymph drainage treatment for 1 hour. Here, subjects in the experimental group performed the PNF exercise with an open-hand grip by putting their hands into the loops of elastic bands and keeping their fingers spread out. Subjects in the control group performed the PNF exercise with a closed-hand grip by holding the loops of elastic bands with their fingers. In both groups, the subjects’ edema, ROM, and pain levels were measured before the intervention and 2, 3 and 4 weeks after the intervention. Results: As a result of the experiment, both groups demonstrated edema reductions, ROM increases, and pain reductions in four areas of the upper limbs. Notably, the experimental group exhibited larger ROM increases in flexion, extension, and abduction as well as greater edema and pain reductions than the control group. In particular, the most significant effects were found in the elbow of the four upper limb areas for edema reductions and in extension for ROM increases. Conclusion: The present study indicates that exercise therapy-based approaches using elastic bands in post-mastectomy patients with upper limb lymphedema can have different effects depending on the type of hand grip (open or closed), which is the body’s most distal part. Therefore, these approaches should be based on the conditions of the distal parts of the patient’s body for their effective applications in clinical practice.