Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of myofascial therapy in addition to a
standard physical therapy program for treatment of persistent arm pain after
finishing breast cancer treatment. DESIGN: Double-blinded (patient and assessor)
randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
PATIENTS: A total of 50 patients with persistent arm pain and myofascial
dysfunctions after breast cancer treatment. INTERVENTION:
Over three months, all
patients received a standard physical therapy program.
The intervention group
received in addition 12 sessions of myofascial therapy, and the control group
received 12 sessions of placebo therapy. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Main outcome
parameters were pain intensity (primary outcome) (maximum visual analogue scale
(VAS) (0-100)), prevalence rate of arm pain, pressure hypersensitivity (pressure
pain thresholds (kg/cm(2)) and pain quality (McGill Pain Questionnaire). Measures
were taken before and after the intervention and at long term (6 and 12 months
follow-up). RESULTS: Patients in the intervention group had a significantly
greater decrease in pain intensity compared to the control group (VAS -44/100 vs.
-24/100, P = 0.046) with a mean difference in change after three months between
groups of 20/100 (95% confidence interval, 0.4 to 39.7). After the intervention,
44% versus 64% of patients still experienced pain in the intervention and control
group, respectively ( P = 0.246). No significant differences were found for the
other outcomes. CONCLUSION: Myofascial therapy is an effective physical therapy
modality to decrease pain intensity at the arm in breast cancer survivors at
three months, but no other benefits at that time were found. There were no
long-term effects at 12 months either.

Langue : ANGLAIS