The effect of physical exercises on effort tolerance and work of the trunk muscles in women after breast cancer treatment

The aim of the research was to examine the interdependence between effort tolerance and work of the trunk muscles in women after breast cancer treatment. The research was carried out in a group of 50 women after mastectomy performed with the use of Patey method. The average age of the examined women was 55.6 years. The examined women were divided into two groups depending on their participation in physical exercises. All the examined women were undergone the effort tolerance test on a treadmill according to Bruce protocol and the isokinetic test of the trunk muscles; the tests were conducted at 60°/s. The work index value of the trunk's extensor muscles in relation to body mass of women treated for mammary cancer not participating in the rehabilitation program was only 26.9%, and for the flexor muscles only 28.7% of the values obtained by the women who regularly took part in the rehabilitation exercises. The women after mastectomy who did not participate in the rehabilitation program also obtained also 86.4% of the exercise test duration time in comparison with the group of exercising women, their oxygen uptake was 72.5% and energetic equivalent was 71.9% of the exercising group. The research showed an average dependence between work of the trunk's flexors and extensors and effort tolerance in women after mastectomy as well as a directly proportional relation for the trunk's extensors and an inversely proportional relation for the trunk's flexors.