Impact of surgical treatment on shoulder joint complex and muscle strength of women undergoing breast cancer treatment

Resumo

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, and functional performance of
the shoulder joint complex (SJC) of women with breast cancer undergoing surgical treatment, in two moments, before
and after surgery. Methodology: The study included 11 volunteers (age 53.7±10.8 years; body mass 73.1±17.1 kg; height
1.55±0.06 m; BMI 30.4±6.3 kg/m2
) recruited at the Advanced Breast Diagnostic Center (CORA)/Universidade Federal de
Goiás. The volunteers were evaluated in the preoperative moment (0–8 days before) and in the postoperative moment
(30–43 days after). ROM was assessed using the Clinometer application, muscle strength was assessed using the handgrip strength (HGS) test, and functional performance was assessed using the arm, shoulder, and hand dysfunction questionnaire (DASH). Results: There was no interaction between the side and time factors and the effect of the side factor
for HGS (p=0.80 and p=0.41, respectively) and ROM on abduction shoulder movements (p=0.45 in both), flexion (p=0.92
and p=0.54, respectively), 0° abduction lateral rotation (p=0.28 and p=0.14, respectively), 90° abduction lateral rotation
(p=0.39 and p=0.15, respectively), and 90° medial rotation of abduction (p=0.06 and p=0.81, respectively). There was also no
effect of the time factor for HGS (p=56) and ROM on shoulder movements of lateral rotation 0° abduction (p=0.29), lateral
rotation 90° abduction (p=0.09), and medial rotation 90° abduction (p=0.94). However, there was a reduction in abduction
ROM (p=0.002) and shoulder flexion ROM (p=0.002) after surgery on both sides. In addition, there was a reduction in the
scores on shoulder functional performance after surgery (p=0.005). Conclusion: Abduction and flexion of the shoulder
were affected after surgery, in addition to a reduction in the scores on the functional performance of the shoulder.