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Improvements in muscle strength, power, and size and self-reported fatigue as mediators of the effect of resistance exercise on physical performance breast cancer survivor women: a randomized controlled trial

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Abstract

Purpose

To gain more knowledge about the mechanism (i.e., mediators) of resistance exercise (RE)-induced improvements in physical performance (PP), we seek to investigate whether improvements in muscle strength (MS), muscle power (MP), and lean body mass (LBM) and (or) self-reported fatigue (SRF) are mediators of the effect of RE on PP in breast cancer survivor women (BCSW).

Methods

The volunteers were randomly divided into two groups: control group (CT; n = 9) and resistance exercise (RE; n = 11). The RE protocol consisted of three sets in each exercise (leg extension, leg curl, 45° leg press, and calf raise), between 8 and 12 repetitions per set, with an estimated load of 80% of one-repetition maximum (1RM), and three times a week on non-consecutive days for 12 weeks. The CT group performed only stretching exercises twice a week. SRF, maximal muscle power (Pmax), MP, LBM, and PP were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory Questionnaire; 1RM test; isoinertial dynamometer; DXA; and walking speed, sit-to-stand (STS), and timed up and go (TUG) test, respectively.

Results

Following 12 weeks, the RE group reduced SRF and increased MP, Pmax, LBM, and performance in all tests (walking speed, STS, and TUG) when compared with the CT group. There were significant associations of the changes in LBM, MS, Pmax, and SRF with changes in physical performance tests only in the RE group.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that improvements in LBM, MS, MP, and self-reported fatigue mediate the effect of resistance exercise on physical performance in BCSW.

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Funding

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais–FAPEMIG and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior–CAPES (001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Biology Research Group (BioEx), Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Samarita Beraldo Santagnello, Fernanda Maria Martins, Gersiel Nascimento de Oliveira Junior, Jairo de Freitas Rodrigues de Sousa & Fábio Lera Orsatti

  2. Department of Sport Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Fábio Lera Orsatti

  3. Research Institute of Oncology (IPON) and Gynecology and Obstetrics course, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Rosekeila Simões Nomelini & Eddie Fernando Candido Murta

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  1. Samarita Beraldo Santagnello
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  3. Gersiel Nascimento de Oliveira Junior
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Correspondence to Samarita Beraldo Santagnello.

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The study was approved by a local certified ethics committee. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Santagnello, S.B., Martins, F.M., de Oliveira Junior, G.N. et al. Improvements in muscle strength, power, and size and self-reported fatigue as mediators of the effect of resistance exercise on physical performance breast cancer survivor women: a randomized controlled trial. Support Care Cancer 28, 6075–6084 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05429-6

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