Timing of Specific Exercise Therapy After Breast Cancer Surgery: Early Versus Delayed Initiation
Recruiting · NCT06918184 · Interventional (participants receive a specific treatment) · Lead sponsor: Al Hayah University In Cairo
View the official record on ClinicalTrials.gov →Interventions studied
Specific Exercise Therapy
What this trial is about
This single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT) will compare two timings for initiating specific exercise therapy after breast cancer surgery. The study tests whether early initiation (within the first postoperative week) versus delayed initiation (at 3 weeks postoperative) results in superior upper limb function at 6 months as measured by the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale, VAS) and wound-related complications such as drainage time and hematoma incidence.
Who can take part
Age range
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All (male and female)
Healthy volunteers
No - a diagnosis or condition is required
Phase
Not applicable (e.g. observational or device study)
Study type
Interventional (participants receive a specific treatment)
Inclusion criteria
- Women aged 18-65 years.
- Scheduled to undergo breast cancer surgery with axillary node dissection.
- At risk for upper limb morbidity based on preoperative assessment.
- Able to provide informed consent and complete study questionnaires.
- Willing and able to attend scheduled physiotherapy sessions and follow-up evaluations.
Exclusion criteria
- Diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.
- Concurrent participation in another rehabilitation intervention or clinical trial.
- Severe comorbidities (e.g., uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, severe orthopedic conditions) that preclude safe participation.
- History of previous shoulder surgery or chronic upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders unrelated to breast cancer treatment.
- Inability to understand or complete study materials in English.
- Pregnancy or lactation.
Where it is running
1 location listed.
- Faculty of Physical Therapy, Al Hayah University - Cairo, Egypt