RESUMO
The kinematic assessment of the upper limbs in breast cancer (BC) survivors is one of the most common procedures to determine the recovery process after BC surgery. However, the methodology used is heterogeneous, finding various evaluation methods, which makes it difficult to compare results between studies. The objective of this review was to identify the technical features of the kinematic evaluation methods used in patients with mastectomy for BC. A literature review was conducted to search in electronic databases, such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Clinical Key, Google Scholar, and Scopus. A total of 641 articles were obtained. After screening the title and the summary of the investigations, 20 manuscripts were kept for a deeper analysis. Different methodologies were found for the analysis of the kinematics of the upper limbs. Eight (40%) articles used the optoelectronic system, nine (45%) used the electromagnetic system, and three (15%) used other optoelectronic systems to assess shoulder kinematics. Each investigation studied different variables such as the type of surgery, the evaluation time, the age of the patients, the rehabilitation protocol, and so on. This makes the comparison among studies difficult, and the recovery process of the patients cannot be easily determined. In conclusion, the interpretation of the movement of the upper limbs should be easy to understand for oncologists, physiotherapists, clinicians, and researchers.
RESUMO
After mastectomy, women might lose mobility and develop kinematic changes in the shoulder. The objective of this research was to compare the kinematics of the glenohumeral joint in women, before and after unilateral breast cancer surgery. This was a longitudinal study with a pre- and post-evaluation design; in total, 15 Mexican women who had a mastectomy for breast cancer and who received a physical therapy program after surgery were evaluated. Flexion-extension and abduction-adduction movements of the glenohumeral joint were evaluated (15 days before and 60 days after mastectomy). For the kinematic analysis of the glenohumeral joint, an optoelectronic motion capture system was used to monitor 41 reflective markers located in anatomical landmarks. There was no significant difference in the range of motion of the glenohumeral joint when comparing pre- and post-mastectomy, flexion-extension (p = 0.138), and abduction-adduction (p = 0.058). Furthermore, patients who received chemotherapy (53%) before mastectomy were more affected (lower range of motion) than those who did not receive it. There were no significant differences in the kinematics of the glenohumeral joint after mastectomy in this group of patients who received a physical therapy program after surgery. Moreover, patients who received chemotherapy treatment before breast cancer surgery tended to have a lower range of motion than those who did not receive it. Therefore, it is necessary for the physical rehabilitation team to attend to these patients even before the mastectomy.
RESUMO
ABSTRACT After breast cancer surgery, women might develop musculoskeletal impairments that affect movements of the upper limbs and reduce the quality of life. The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of the unilateral breast cancer surgery on the kinematics of the shoulder and the electrical activity of the upper trapezius, middle deltoid and pectoralis major muscles. Eight right-handed female participants, mean age 46.5 ± 5.45 years and mean body mass 71.21 ± 13.33 kg, with unilateral breast cancer surgery, without breast reconstruction and without lymphedema symptoms were included in the research. Flexion-extension and abduction-adduction movements of the shoulder were evaluated with infrared cameras and the electrical activity was measured using surface electromyography. The statistical analysis of the direction angles showed a significant reduction of the flexion-extension and abduction-adduction movements in the affected side in most of the participants (p<0.05). The muscle electrical activity did not present a significant difference between the two sides for the flexion-extension and abduction-adduction movements (p>0.05). The results suggest that the surgical procedure could compromise the range of motion of the affected side. Furthermore, this research contributes to clarify the effect of the surgical procedure in the range of motion of the upper limbs.
RESUMEN Después de la cirugía de cáncer de mama, las mujeres pueden desarrollar deficiencias musculoesqueléticas que afectan los movimientos de las extremidades superiores y reducen la calidad de vida. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el efecto de la cirugía unilateral del cáncer de mama sobre la cinemática del hombro y la actividad eléctrica de los músculos trapecio superior, deltoides medio y pectoral mayor. Se incluyeron ocho participantes diestras, edad promedio 46.5 ± 5.45 años y masa promedio 71.21 ± 13.33 kg, con cirugía de cáncer de mama unilateral, sin reconstrucción mamaria y sin síntomas de linfedema. Los movimientos de flexión-extensión y abducción-aducción del hombro se evaluaron con cámaras infrarrojas y se midió la actividad eléctrica mediante electromiografía de superficie. El análisis estadístico de los ángulos de dirección mostró una reducción significativa del movimiento de flexión-extensión y abducción-aducción en el lado afectado en la mayoría de las participantes (p<0.05). La actividad eléctrica muscular no presentó diferencia significativa entre los dos lados para los movimientos de flexión-extensión y abducción-aducción (p>0.05). Los resultados sugieren que el procedimiento quirúrgico podría comprometer el rango de movimiento del lado afectado. Además, esta investigación contribuye a esclarecer el efecto del procedimiento quirúrgico en el rango de movimiento de los miembros superiores.