Does Fear of Movement Affect Fatigue and Quality of Life in Lower Extremity Lymphedema?

The effect of exercise in patients with lower limb lymphedema: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To summarize the evidence of the immediate and long-term effect of exercise interventions in patients with either primary or secondary lower limb lymphedema (LLL) on health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), physical function, self-reported symptoms, lower limb volume, and adverse events.

DESIGN

Systematic review following the guidelines from the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and clinicaltrials.gov.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Prospective exercise trials investigating exercise interventions as a single- or multicomponent programme in patients with LLL including assessment of at least one of the following outcomes: HR-QOL, self-reported LLL symptoms (heaviness, tension, and pain), physical function, or lower limb volume. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), single-group studies, and cross-over trials were eligible. Trials with participants at risk of LLL or a diagnosis of filariasis or lipedema were excluded.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included: three RCTs, five single-group studies, and four cross-over trials with a total of three hundred and sixty-seven participants. In patients with LLL, irrespective of severity, exercise seemed to have small but positive effects on HR-QOL, physical function, pain, and lower limb volume. Quality assessment showed high risk of bias. Large heterogeneity in participants, interventions, and outcome measures hinders performing of meta-analyses.

INTERPRETATION

Based on a small number of studies with large clinical heterogeneity, poor methodological quality, hence low level of certainty of evidence, it was not possible to provide evidence-based recommendations on exercise for patients with LLL.

The relationship of kinesiophobia in patients with lymphedema: a case-control investigation

Introduction

Kinesiophobia and lymphedema appear to be related conditions, and it is important to understand this relationship, as many of the symptoms and comorbidities presented by individuals with lower limb lymphedema are prevented and treated through movement, thus constituting kinesiophobia as a barrier to intervention. The objective of this study is, therefore, to evaluate and analyze the kinesiophobic beliefs reported by individuals with and without lower limb lymphedema, regarding the agreement, severity and differences found, and to establish levels of kinesiophobia.

Methods

A case-control study with a total sample of 80 participants (40 with lower limb lymphedema and 40 without) was performed. Both groups (with and without lymphedema) were characterized anthropologically, sociodemographically, and clinically. In the case group, lymphedema was evaluated. Participants in both groups completed the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia - 13 items (TSK-13).

Results

Individuals with lower limb lymphedema had higher TSK-13 scores than their matched group without lymphedema. The items belonging to the activity avoidance subscale had the highest agreement and score in both groups. Differences between groups were mainly established for items belonging to the somatic focus subscale, showing that individuals with lower limb lymphedema have kinesiophobic beliefs related to the perceived severity of their lymphedema. The prevalence of kinesiophobia was increased in both groups, but the severity was mild.

Conclusions

Considering the apparent tendency of people with lower limb lymphedema to present kinesiophobia and movement-limiting beliefs regarding the condition, greater attention should be paid to its assessment, prevention and treatment from a multidisciplinary and multimodal perspective, which takes into account the multiplicity of factors inherent to kinesiophobia and lymphedema and thus reduce their impact on the management of lymphedema.