Resistance Training OK for Lymphedema after Breast Cancer

Lymphedema – swelling of the arm on the affected side due to interference with the lymphatic vessels draining the limb – was at one time reported in over 60% of women treated for breast cancer.  Patients are usually cautioned against making repetitive arm movements and lifting more than 10 – 15 lb. This concept has been challenged, particularly by Canadian investigators, but the use of weight lifting exercises has received impetus from a US study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.   

Some 140 breast cancer survivors with lymphedema were randomly assigned to a weight-lifting program or to ‘usual care’. The weight-lifting program consisted of twice-weekly whole-body resistance training with increasing weight and repetitions; the women wore compression garments while they exercised.

After 1 year, the women in the weight-lifting group had increased their upper- and lower-body strength, compared with the ‘usual care’ controls. The proportion of women with an increase in limb swelling did not differ between the groups; it was 11% and 12%, respectively. However, the weightlifters had less severe hand and arm symptoms, fewer lymphedema exacerbations, and increased muscular strength, compared with the controls. There were no serious adverse events related to the resistance training.

This is an important study, as it will free many women to embark on a resistance training program to retain and even increase their upper-body strength as they approach their senior years. Unfortunately, it’s not a magic bullet – it doesn’t restore their arm to a normal size.