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Exercise Rehabilitation to Improve Long-term Outcomes in Sarcoma Survivors.
Sponsor: Curtin University
Summary
People who have had a sarcoma removed from the leg often live with weak muscles, stiff joints, and trouble walking. These problems can last for years. Formal medical follow-up usually ends about five years after treatment. Few studies have tested exercise at this stage. This study tested an 8-week supervised exercise program. Participants were adults aged 18 to 67 who were at least 5 years past limb-sparing (wide resection) surgery for a leg sarcoma. They attended a clinic in Perth, Western Australia, twice a week for one hour. The program built leg strength, joint movement, balance, walking, and fitness. It progressed through three phases and was matched to each person's surgery and ability. All participants received the same program type. There was no comparison group. Each person was tested twice before starting to confirm stable function. Testing was repeated at the end of the 8 weeks. It was repeated again 8 weeks later, after a period with no supervised exercise. The main outcome was high-level mobility, measured by the High-level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT). This tool scores walking, running, hopping, and stair climbing. Other outcomes were six-minute walk distance, leg strength, joint range of motion, and self-reported physical function and quality of life (TESS and SF-36 questionnaires). The study aimed to learn two things. First, whether exercise improves strength and mobility years after sarcoma surgery. Second, whether those gains last after supervision stops.
Official title: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH TO IMPROVING LONG TERM OUTCOMES IN SARCOMA SURVIVORS
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 70 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
25
Start Date
2014-01-01
Completion Date
2015-10-30
Last Updated
2026-10-23
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Supervised Exercise Rehabilitation Program
Behavioral. An 8-week, fully supervised, individualised exercise program for adults at least 5 years after wide resection for lower limb sarcoma. Sessions ran twice weekly for 1 hour (16 sessions), one-to-one, adjusted to each person's resection and ability. Resistance, aerobic, range of motion, balance and gait training progressed through three phases with achievement criteria. Phase 1 (weeks 1-2): range of motion, isolated muscle activation, hydrotherapy gait re-education, home exercises. Phase 2 (weeks 2-4): weighted leg flexion, hip abduction and adduction, closed-chain exercises, balance training, mirror gait retraining, 10 minutes continuous aerobic exercise at about 50% maximum heart rate. Phase 3 (weeks 4-8): squats, lunges, single-leg balance on uneven surfaces, multi-joint tasks, aerobic exercise at 60-70% maximum heart rate. No supervised exercise followed from weeks 8 to 16.